Douglas Electric Cooperative

08/17/2026

**The video below is a pretty good example of how technology has changed the way we work at DEC.**

That's one of our linemen using a drone to inspect power lines across some pretty difficult terrain. Work that once meant trying to physically access every section of line can now be done faster, safer, and at a lower cost.

It got me thinking about something I hadn't really considered before. **For a cooperative our size, DEC is incredibly advanced technologically.** Not because we chase the newest shiny widget, but because we've been smart about putting technology to work.

Our **SCADA system and DFN's fiber network** give us visibility and control of equipment across our system that many co-ops dream about.

We have places with no cell service and where even radio communication can be difficult, so every field crew has **Starlink and iPads**. They can communicate, access system maps and information, and see outages developing from some of the most remote parts of our territory.

Once an outage is reported, our **metering system** helps us determine who's out and narrow down where the problem is. Instead of starting miles away and searching down a line, our crews can often drive almost directly to the trouble. **That can trim hours off an outage.**

We use **drones and thermal imaging** to find problems, while weather stations throughout our system automatically alert us as conditions change.

Members have technology in their hands too. Through **SmartHub**, you can pay your bill, see your energy use down to the hour, report an outage, and receive outage updates.

And behind the scenes, our accounting, billing, metering, outage, mapping, engineering, and field systems all work together.

But there's an important balance to all of this.

**We want technology to make us more efficient, not less personal.**

Sometimes you'll reach an automated system or our call service. But if you want to talk to someone, tell us. You can still walk into our office and talk to a real person, and you can reach pretty much anyone here, all the way up to the general manager.

**The goal isn't to have the coolest technology. It's to use technology to lower costs, improve reliability, give our employees better tools, and allow us to be both efficient and present for the people we serve.**

High-tech when it helps. Personal when it matters.

**That's how technology should work at a cooperative.** ⚡

08/10/2026

First, let me say this: our members are overwhelmingly supportive of the co-op, and we truly appreciate it. This message isn’t directed at the folks who have listened, prepared, and understand what we’re dealing with.

There is not an electric utility anywhere that can guarantee power 100% of the time. That’s simply a fact.

If your plan is to do nothing to prepare, and then be very mad at us when the power goes out on a 100+ degree day, you absolutely can.

But you may be mad at us while sitting in a hot house with a refrigerator full of spoiling food.

If you listen to what we’ve been saying and make a plan ahead of time, you can still be mad at us. We promise.

But you can be mad at us from a friend or relative’s air-conditioned home. You can have a plan to save the food in your refrigerator and freezer. And if you depend on electricity for a medical device, you can already know where you’re going to plug it in. Plus, you can really let us have it on Facebook for the  inconvenience. You can also be the backup plan for someone else.

That’s really the whole point of these messages.

We work incredibly hard to keep your power on, and we’re proud of how reliable our system is. But we cannot promise that your power will never go out. No utility can.

What we can do is tell you when conditions are unusually risky and encourage you to prepare before an outage happens.

You’re still allowed to feel mad at us. We just prefer that you also feel proud of yourself for planning ahead, at the same time.

And if you are not mad at us, that’s okay too. ;)

08/05/2026

Sometimes our linemen have the opportunity to step outside their normal duties and lend a helping hand—or wing!

This weekend, a member called after discovering a young osprey, likely a fledgling, that had fallen from its nest. Our Reedsport foreman, Curt, contacted Eugene Raptor Center to develop a rescue plan. Because of the nest’s height, he also asked our Drain serviceman, Tyson, to bring over a taller bucket truck.

Working together, they safely returned the young osprey to its nest. As you can see in the video, the rescue went perfectly—and we even got a little thank-you wave!

08/04/2026

Imagine everything you would see if you lived for 104 years.

Martha Lee has.

She was born before penicillin was widely available. She lived through the Great Depression, watched young men leave for World War II, celebrated when they came home, and witnessed the birth of the atomic age.

She saw televisions move into living rooms, watched a man walk on the moon, lived through the arrival of computers, the internet, cell phones, and now artificial intelligence.

Right here at home, she remembers when her family did homework by the light of an oil lamp because there was no electricity. Then she watched Douglas Electric bring power down Cole Road, changing life for her family forever.

After seeing all of that, do you know what she talks about?

Gratitude. Faith. Friends. Family. Serving others.

Maybe that’s why her story is so special. After 104 years of watching the world change beyond recognition, she’s a reminder that the things that matter most really haven’t changed at all.

When this month’s Ruralite arrives, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read Martha’s story. I have a feeling you’ll walk away with a smile… and maybe a little more appreciation for the life you’re living today.

Martha Lee credits God, friends, fruits and vegetables for a long life.

08/03/2026

Well… I guess I jinxed us.
Just a few days ago, we explained why some utilities delay restoring power during a Red Flag Warning. At the time, we weren’t under one.

Now one is coming our way.

⚠ 𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐦. 𝐭𝐨 𝟗:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐦. ⚠

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐟𝐟 (𝐏𝐒𝐏𝐒). 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟.

However, if your power goes out during the Red Flag Warning because of a tree, equipment failure, or another outage, 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟗:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐦.

Why? Because restoring power when fire conditions are at their absolute worst simply isn’t smart. Re-energizing a power line always carries some risk. When the air is extremely dry and the wind is blowing, even a small problem can become a major wildfire.

Outages during this event could also be larger and last longer than normal, with some extending into Thursday depending on conditions.

Please make a plan now. If you rely on electricity for medical equipment, refrigerated medications, food, or other essential needs, prepare for the possibility of an extended outage.

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝. 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞. 𝐖𝐞’𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to keep our communities safe.

08/03/2026

I think we all knew this was coming. Please be extra vigilant.

08/02/2026

We’re not under a Red Flag Warning, and none is forecast right now. But…

We’re sharing this now because we’d rather explain it before we’re in the middle of one.

Much of Oregon is dealing with Red Flag conditions, and we’re watching utilities take a beating on social media because they aren’t restoring power the way they normally would. The problem is that many people don’t understand the “why.”

If the power goes out during a Red Flag Warning, you may see a utility wait until the warning expires before restoring service. That’s not a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). The outage has already happened. A tree fell, equipment failed, or a bird made the decision to not be a bird anymore. The question isn’t why the power went out. The question is when it’s safest to turn it back on.

Re-energizing a power line is never completely without risk, even on the nicest day of the year. Taking something from zero to 69,000 volts in an instant can be… exciting. During a Red Flag event, though, with extremely dry air and strong winds, even a tiny problem can become a fast-moving wildfire. If conditions are perfect for fire, we’d rather wait a few hours until they’re not before taking that risk. That’s it. Sounds pretty common sense when we are not in the dark worrying about our fridge full of food. But we are asking you to worry about it now, when there isn’t an emergency.

Now is the time to make a plan, not when the lights go out. If you can, keep a couple of coolers handy, know where you can get ice, or make arrangements with friends or family in another part of the county in case they still have power. We understand not everyone can afford backup options, and we don’t take that lightly. But we’d much rather you have some spoiled food than have someone lose a home, or worse, a life.

Please help spread the word. Talk with your neighbors now, before these conditions affect our area. And if we ever have to make that difficult decision, we’ll probably still get yelled at. That’s okay. We’d much rather take the criticism than take an unnecessary risk with people’s homes, property, and lives.

07/30/2026

Maybe it is just me,

Or can anyone else look at a truck sitting quietly in the yard, loaded with poles for tomorrow’s work, and see something beautiful?

It’s hard not to be passionate about what we do. We owe you folks a great debt for allowing us to feed our families by serving yours. Thank you!

07/23/2026

📌 Please don't post signs on our utility poles.

We get it — a sign on a pole seems like an easy way to spread the word about a sale, an event, or a service. But those poles are working equipment carrying live power lines, and our crews climb them in all kinds of weather.

Here's why signs have to come down:

Nails and staples can snag a lineworker's gear or cause a fall — and become an unexpected shock hazard.
Every puncture lets in moisture and rot, weakening the pole.
Signs catch the wind like a sail, adding stress the pole wasn't built for.
Attachments block the climbing space crews need to restore power fast.

It's also a matter of code and law: utility poles are governed by the National Electrical Safety Code, Oregon PUC rules (OAR 860-024-0010), and Oregon law on posting signs in road rights-of-way (ORS 368.942).

Thanks for helping us keep our poles, our crews, and our neighbors safe. ⚡