LCEC – Lee County Electric Cooperative

Blinking lights demystified

June 18, 2019 – Annoying as it can be, blinking lights or a series of momentary outages is actually a good thing! Blinking lights or momentary outages are the result of some type of disturbance that is detected on the electric system. The cause can range from an automobile accident to a squirrel, bird or tree branch. When lights blink, it is an indication that LCEC protective devices are operating properly. When something contacts an energized line, it creates a fault or short circuit. If the fault or short circuit is temporary, power is restored in the blink of an eye. Although it is a very quick process, it may cause lights to flicker and digital clocks to reset. The protective device will sometimes operate more than once to clear the line of the disturbance and avoid a prolonged outage. If the line is not cleared, it will be de-energized to protect equipment from damage and ensure safety. As much as we wish that we could control the environment and the weather, we can’t. However, we can and do work diligently to ensure reliable electricity for our customers. If these momentary blinks are driving you momentarily crazy, you might consider using electric devices that have battery backups. To learn more about LCEC’s focus on reliability, visit lcec.net.