Power outages can happen when we least expect them. You may be going about your normal routine when the lights suddenly go out, leaving you wondering what caused the interruption—especially when there’s no storm nearby. While severe weather is often the most noticeable culprit, the reality is that many different factors can impact electric service throughout the year.
In total, Edgecombe-Martin County EMC experienced 424 outages across our system throughout 2025. Each outage, whether large or small, helps us better understand where our system is vulnerable and how we can continue improving reliability for our members.
The most common cause of outages this year was trees and vegetation, which accounted for 158 outages. Trees do not have to fall during a major storm to cause problems. Overhanging limbs, dead or weakened trees, and natural growth near power lines can interrupt service on otherwise calm days. This is why vegetation management is an ongoing, year-round effort for the cooperative, helping reduce outages before they occur.
Weather-related outages accounted for 46 outages throughout the year. Lightning strikes, strong winds, and other weather events can quickly damage lines and equipment. While these outages are often unavoidable, our crews are trained to respond safely and efficiently, restoring power as quickly as conditions allow.
Equipment and system-related issues were responsible for 61 outages. Although our crews regularly inspect, maintain, and upgrade equipment, some components naturally wear over time or fail unexpectedly. Planned outages for maintenance and system improvements are also included in this category and are necessary to strengthen the system and reduce the likelihood of larger disruptions in the future.
Animals and wildlife caused 70 outages this year. Small animals and birds can come into contact with electrical equipment, creating faults that interrupt service. We install protective devices whenever possible to limit these incidents, but wildlife continues to be an unpredictable challenge across the system.
Public and human-related activities resulted in 42 outages. These include vehicle accidents, construction and maintenance-related errors, fires, customer-caused incidents, and interactions with farm equipment. Many of these situations cause damage that requires extensive repairs, which can sometimes extend restoration times.
Additionally, 47 outages were classified as other or unknown causes. In some cases, even after careful inspection, the exact source of an outage cannot be clearly identified. These incidents still help inform future planning and system improvements.
When outages occur, our crews follow a structured restoration process, focusing first on safety and then on restoring power to the greatest number of members as quickly as possible. If you see our trucks driving through your area, they may be searching for the source of the problem before repairs can begin.
At Edgecombe-Martin County EMC, we remain committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable electricity every day of the year. By tracking outage trends and learning from each event, we can continue making smart investments and improvements that strengthen our system and better serve the communities we call home.
Cooperatively,
Mike Johnson