In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, some homeowners in Killearn Estates voiced frustration over power outages and offered solutions to what they see as a problem with the electrical system.
In a letter to the Killearn Homeowners Association (KHA), the homeowners noted that Killearn Estates lost power on Wednesday, October 10, and most homes had power back on the following Sunday. However, many homes on the “Paddrick Drive” circuit did not regain power until at least Tuesday, October 16.
In response to the letter, the KHA immediately contacted the head of the city’s electric utility, Rob McGarrah. Mr. McGarrah recommended a meeting to discuss the issue and the parties are currently working together to arrange a suitable time and place.
The problem leading to this lengthy power outage, according to the homeowners, is “an inadequate electrical engineering design by the city which serves approximately 300 homes in Killearn Estates.”
The solutions proposed by the homeowners include:
1. Burying the transmission facilities along the bridle path, eliminating the factor of tree limbs falling on the power lines.
2. Redesigning of the power grid that controls these 300 homes and removing of the bridle path facility “altogether”
3. Creating a “major tree and limb removal plan” in the area, a plan which the City of Tallahassee would fund.
Killearn Residents, KHA, City Work to Address Power Outage Problem added by Hannah Cooperman on
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Hi..If the City Gas can bury gas lines to homes easily, why not bury the power lines. However, if the Electrical lines are buried to some neighborhoods, and if the main grid to those neighborhoods looses power than the buried electrical lines are no use.
The City Commission did do a couple of things after previous storms(in 2017). Not sure I heard anything about the study, but they did have a discussion on burying lines, and the story here indicates that they did bury some lines. I’d think that before going to the city, you’d want to know what you’re really asking in terms of money. Has there been any cost estimates? Also what about cost sharing? What are the affected homeowners willing to pay? How would this affect property values(and associated taxes)?
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/03/22/commission-votes-tree-management-storm-prep-plan/99489336/
What a bunch of snowflakes these people are. Yes, let’s redesign the entire power grid because three hundred crybabies didn’t have power for a week. Yes, let’s have the entire city subsidize a tree trimming effort because they chose to live somewhere there are huge numbers of trees.
It was a massive hurricane. Underground utilities are expensive as hell and require crews ripping up easements and roads for years. Of course, everyone here thinks that it could be accomplished for the cost of a few football tickets. Completely delusional snowflake crybabies. Sheesh.
As a 30 year resident of Killearn, I’d rather the Association concentrate on the lakes issue – something they actually have control over. They’ve done nothing constructive for the last 10 years – in fact, they few things they’ve done have made things worse…the lakes are dying. They spend more money on flowers and the newsletter than on the lakes they insisted on buying from the City. So I find it rather ironic these folks are complaining about the City’s budget practices. Canopy roads means having trees. If you don’t like it, move to Orlando. It’s also clear who reads this tripe. Oh wait – It’s also Clear Who reads this Tripe.
hey guys: if you live closer to thomasville than you do the airport, expect long outages. if you think you deserve underground utilities before streets like Monroe, Tennessee, Lake Bradford, etc get them, you are being real silly.
Thirty year Killearn Resident..been a problem forever.If a Resident breaks wind to hard after Dinner the power goes out for 2 days..My Favorite is when KHA and/or the COT blames it on Squirrels for chewing the power lines which strangely happens in no other cities..Tally electrical grid is a joke as it’s antiquated and the city refuses to put lines underground when they also don’t take problem trees down..very bad combination
I just assume it’s 5-7 days without power anytime a storm comes as that’s what it’s been the last 3 years
Squirrels do chew on the power lines… even in other cities
http://www.yourenergyblog.com/squirrels-driving-utilities-nuts/
COT can’t reinvest the proceeds from utilities to make necessary and cost effective upgrades. They have solar panels to replace, bike paths to make, bridges to nowhere to build, handouts to special interests that have no affect on quality of life for their purported constituents, bonus for people that have done absolutely NOTHING for the taxpayers North of Tennessee St, I can go on and on, F Tallahassee and ever growing number of people that are the problem and have no clue what morality and ethics mean nor how to practice them…….#COTFUTUREDETROIT
FYI ~ that those residents know that the president of KHA acted immediately as your last paragraph recommended. I suggest contacting the president and the KHA office so that TR reflects the most accurate and up to date information. We rely on TR to bring us the best in timely facts and this will ensure that you do.