Lightning zaps power

The Platte Valley experienced a power outage Friday for approximately four hours because of problems with weather.

Russell Waldner, General Manager of Carbon Power & Light, provided the official outage time from 2:36 p.m. until 6:22 p.m.

“Lightning opened the circuit switcher,” Waldner said. “Basically, what the circuit switcher does is protect the transformer and anything in the substation from failing.”

According to Waldner, when Carbon Power & Light was reviewing the codes during the outage, one code indicated an internal problem with the transformer. “We had to wait for Tri-State to come over and verify that the transformer was safe to re-energize,” Waldner said.

“It didn’t necessarily damage anything,” Waldner said. According to Waldner, all conditions regarding the circuit switcher are functioning normally.