Kayaking through Washington’s Pamlico Plantation. Photo by Jenny Sargent Parham.

Dowry Creek in Belhaven. Photo by Heather Jernigan Morrone.

If you ever needed a reminder that it’s never “just a tropical storm,” one was delivered by September’s Tropical Storm Ophelia. Residents in Oriental, Belhaven and Washington were inundated with an unanticipated storm surge that came in almost as quickly as it departed.

In Pamlico Plantation, padmount transformer cabinets were entirely submerged without a loss of power to members.

In some cases, the storm surge was significant enough to move transformer cabinets, which alert members subsequently reported to the co-op for immediate repairs.

Even when there is not a storm, transformer cabinets can be damaged by mowing equipment. Recently, a lighting arrestor that operated inside a transformer cabinet and prevented a power outage, had enough force to pop the cabinet open before becoming wedged between the cabinet and the pad. So it’s important to report any cabinet disturbance to the co-op.

Never obstruct a padmount transformer with vegetation, decorative items or fencing. Remind children that these are energized pieces of utility equipment and are not appropriate for sitting on or using as a base for a game of tag.

Tideland EMC urges you to:

• Recognize that these boxes contain electrical equipment.
• Respect the equipment and the boxes—do not open, tamper with, or obstruct access to them.
• If there is any damage, such as a hole or broken lock, immediately report it to your utility.

Familiarize yourself and family members with any electrical boxes on your property.

Padmount transformers often require larger enclosures. The transformer reduces the voltage of incoming electricity to a lower voltage for household use. While some homeowners consider padmount transformers an eyesore, it is important to not obstruct access to them.

Do not bury, install fences around, or plant immediately around electrical boxes in an effort to disguise them. These barriers may make the cabinet difficult to find and block access, should routine maintenance need done or an emergency occur. We recommend a minimum clearance of at least 10 feet to the front of the transformer cabinet and 2 to 5 feet to the rear and each side.