Caledonia neighbors frustrated by frequent power outages
Caledonia power outages leave residents in the dark
Power outages in over 100 homes for up to 24 hours at a time. That is the reality a neighborhood in Caledonia said they have been living with after this happened at least six times in the past eight weeks.
CALEDONIA, Wis. - Power outages in more than 100 homes for up to 24 hours at a time.
That is the reality a neighborhood in Caledonia said they have been living with after this happened at least six times in the past eight weeks.
Reoccurring power outages
What To Know:
Untrimmed tree branches are the problem. Specifically, ones that touch the power lines which then cause outages, even during what neighbors said is tame rain and wind.
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Residents have contacted WE Energies about this multiple times, saying they get put on a waiting list.
When WE Energies was able to get out to the neighborhood, residents said they solved the immediate problem by cutting a couple of branches, but then, one of the dozens of other spots where trees touch lines caused an outage.
Residents even contacted the Caledonia Village Board. In response, that leadership has recently compiled lists of residents affected and requested outage data from WE Energies.
Neighbors are quick to point out it is not just an inconvenience. These outages have forced them to have to clear out their fridges multiple times because food goes bad.
"Our bills aren't getting any cheaper, yet the service that they're providing is worsening," Meg Kosterman, a neighbor experiencing the outages, said.
"So, honestly, at this point, it's very frustrating, but it has become a joke. I mean, most people say, 'Oh, weekly power outage,'" Andrew Langenfeld, another resident experiencing the outages said.
We Energies response
What they're saying:
WE Energies said this neighborhood is on their list for extensive branch trimming work early next year.
"When someone calls us with concerns, we don't ignore it. We really do get at it," Brendan Conway, a We Energies representative, said. "We have been in that neighborhood repeatedly doing the things. You trim a few trees here and a storm blows 60 mph three blocks away, that can cause an issue that can impact the same customers where you trim their trees."
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Neighbors are worried these problems will continue into winter, when outages also mean no heat to stay warm.
WE Energies said they are working with neighbors right now on more short-term reliability efforts.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Ben Hanson and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Caledonia residents, WE Energies and the Caledonia Village Board.