KIUC's Rate Case - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative
KIUC's Rate Case - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative
KIUC's Rate Case - Kauai Island Utility Cooperative
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Is Your Home Protected?<br />
By Ray Mierta<br />
Power Surges On Kaua‘i<br />
It used to be our homes were filled with basic appliances<br />
that consisted of motors and lights. New appliances are<br />
both energy efficient and more expensive. They also are<br />
more complex than they used to be.<br />
The very components that give us the reliability, low<br />
operating cost and improved performance we are used to<br />
also are sensitive to minor variances in the quality of the<br />
electricity that powers them.<br />
4 KIUC CURRENTS<br />
Power Surges From Internal Sources<br />
Microprocessors—virtually a component of every<br />
appliance and device today—are sensitive to small<br />
fluctuations in power quality. Low-level surges or spikes<br />
that originate from within our homes caused by<br />
appliances turning on and off cause stress on these<br />
circuits and can lead to early failure.<br />
To the repair technician, it is difficult to determine what<br />
caused the failure and if it occurred over time from<br />
internal sources. It often is dismissed as<br />
being the result of a power surge.<br />
Invariably, a call is placed to Kaua‘i <strong>Island</strong><br />
<strong>Utility</strong> <strong>Cooperative</strong> (KIUC).<br />
Power Surges From External<br />
Sources<br />
On the mainland, weather is a big cause of<br />
power surges. Lightning strikes,<br />
thunderstorms, pre-tornado conditions and<br />
near misses from hurricanes can wreak<br />
havoc on the power system, producing<br />
surges.<br />
Storms—not KIUC—are the biggest cause of<br />
power surges on Kaua‘i. Wind and lightning<br />
strikes can affect power lines, generating<br />
surges of varying intensity. Contact by birds<br />
and debris in overhead power lines can<br />
generate damaging surges, as well as<br />
accidents involving power poles.