Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) is accepting applications for its college scholarship program. High school seniors whose families receive NOVEC service in Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, and Stafford counties, as well as the City of Manassas Park, are eligible to apply.

Students from public, private, or home schools must submit applications by April 1. Scholarship recipients will receive $1,500 and are automatically eligible for an additional $3,500 J. Manley Garber Scholarship, awarded to the most outstanding applicant.

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Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) will start accepting Christmas trees and greens starting Thursday through Jan. 12 in Gainesville.

According to a press release, NOVEC will be accepting both trees and greens without any decorations, ornaments, hooks, wires or light strings starting the day after Christmas. Drop-off will be available at its Gainesville Technical Center at 5399 Wellington Branch Road.

“Recycling holiday greens is just another way we help area residents and the environment,” Rick Carpenter, NOVEC Vegetation Management manager, said.

Vegetation Management will use the trees and greens to make mulch, which will reduce holiday landfill waste. According to an Environmental Protection Agency study, commercial waste increases by approximately 25% during the holiday season in comparison to the rest of the year. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, this may result in about 1 million extra tons of waste each week.

Drop-offs don’t have to take place during business hours. Greens can be dropped off in the parking lot demarcated with orange safety cones. For more information, contact the Vegetation Management department at 703-335-0500, ext. 1600, or [email protected].

In light of Hurricane Helene’s damage in southern Virginia and North Carolina, Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) sent crews to restore power.

The category 4 hurricane hit the southeastern region of the United States in late September and was the deadliest to strike the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Parts of North Carolina had access cut off due to flash floods and landslides.

These two teams — one made of five men and the other of four — helped local cooperatives restore power to the more than 1.4 million coop households in these impacted areas.

The team of five (pictured above) was first sent on Sept. 27 to southwestern Virginia, then, on Oct. 3, the crew was deployed to Lenoir, N.C. to assist Blue Ridge Energy. The four-man crew began in New Castle, Va., on Oct. 1, before being sent to assist Blue Ridge Energy to join the other crew on Oct. 2.

Blue Ridge Energy, according to a NOVEC press release, had 6,800 miles of its 8,500 miles of lines damaged in Hurricane Helene.

“We do know there are parts of our system that will take weeks to repair or rebuild. In many cases, there is no road — not even dirt — where there once was one and our poles are down mountainsides or in the river in some cases,” Renee Walker, director of public relations at Blue Ridge, said.

The cost of Hurricane Helene’s damage is in the billions, according to several reports and analyses. The death toll is above 200 people as well.

Crews from the Northern Virginia Electrical Cooperative (NOVEC), along with contractors and support from other electric cooperatives, continue to restore power after a severe storm that hit Northern Virginia on Thursday, August 29, 2024. The storm caused significant damage, particularly in Stafford County and southern Fauquier County, leading to widespread outages and extensive repairs.

As of 7 a.m. on Saturday, August 31, NOVEC reports that the number of customers affected by the storm has decreased from 6,000 to approximately 430. In Stafford County, crews are focused on replacing broken electric poles and repairing downed power lines. Replacing a single broken pole can take several hours, especially when trees are down, and the ground is saturated from heavy rain.

Damage assessment was completed on Friday, August 30, and line crews worked through the night to restore power to affected areas, including those in Stafford County. NOVEC crews have been joined by contractors and linemen from several organizations, including Choptank Electric Cooperative, Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative, Prince George Electric Cooperative, Bayline Construction, River City, and Utility Lines Construction Services, LLC.

As of Friday evening, about 1,000 customers, many in Stafford County, were still without power. The storm caused significant damage to NOVEC’s infrastructure, with more than 30 electric poles broken and requiring replacement. The storm, which brought nearly seven inches of rain in one hour and winds ranging from 60 to 80 mph, caused widespread outages and damage to equipment.

NOVEC continues to provide updates on their progress through their website and the SmartHub app. Customers in Stafford and other affected areas can find the latest restoration estimates by checking NOVEC’s Outage Map or using the app.

The cooperative reminds customers in Stafford and beyond to report outages by calling 703-335-0500, logging in to SmartHub, or texting “#OUT” to 85700. Safety tips and additional information about the restoration process can be found on the NOVEC website.

 

A powerful line of thunderstorms swept through Northern Virginia on August 3, 2024, causing significant power outages across Prince William and Stafford counties. The severe weather left many residents in the dark as utility companies scrambled to restore service.

Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) Outages

NOVEC reported the highest number of outages in the region, with Prince William County experiencing three major incidents affecting a total of 60 customers. The specific outages are as follows:

Applewood Ln, Chicory Ln, Coffee Pot Hill, Creedmore South Dr, Creedmore West Ct, Double Poplars Ln, Dumfries Rd, Ecoganic Farm Ln, Kelly Meadows Ln, Kines Rd, Magnolia Ln, Marshall Gardens Ct, Old Auburn Rd, Old Dumfries Rd, Pembridge Ln, Rogues Rd, RR 602 & 670, RR 670 & 692, Shulls Ln, Squires Ln, Taylor Rd, Twin Poplar Ln-

Customers Affected:  1

Bobcat Ct, Minnieville Rd
Customers Affected: 33

Hensley Rd, Smithfield Rd
– Customers Affected: 26

Stafford County faced two significant outages affecting a total of 229 customers:

Aquia Rd, Beaver Dam Rd, Beaver Farm Ln, Blackwells Mill Rd, Bowling Farm Ln, Briarwood Ln, Bristersburg Rd, Castlebar Dr, Chimney Lake Ln, Courtney School Rd, Cropp Rd, Deep Run Rd, Delmar Ln, Elk Ridge Rd, Elk Run Church Rd, Enduro Run Rd, Ensors Shop Rd, Geraldine Ct, Gobbler Run Ln, Greentree Ln, Halstead Dr, Hawks Ln, Ireland Dr, Ireland Dr, Izzy Ln, Kenner Ln, Kingdom Dr, Layline Ln, Midland Rd, Poplar Rd, RR 1 Box, RR 617, Seth Dr, Shepherd Hill Ln, Skyline Dr, Soaring Eagle Rd, Spotted Tavern Rd, Stil Water Ln, Still Water Ln, Stillwater Ln, Towles Rd, Whispering Oaks Ln

Customers Affected: 216

Dunbar Dr, Misty Ln
– Customers Affected: 13

Dominion Energy Outages

Dominion Energy reported 132 customers without power in Stafford County. The affected areas are working towards restoration as crews address the damage caused by the storms.

Both NOVEC and Dominion Energy are actively working to restore power to the affected areas. Crews are on-site assessing damage and performing necessary repairs. The cause of the outages remains under investigation, and both utility companies have provided estimated restoration times for affected customers.

Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative: “Applications are being accepted through Feb. 16 for the 2024 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, an annual all-expenses-paid, week-long event in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).”

“Applicants must be high school sophomores or juniors whose homes are served by Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC); eligibility extends to public, private, and home-schooled students.”

“NOVEC will sponsor up to four students for the event in June 2024. NOVEC’s representatives will join more than a thousand young men and women from electric co-ops across the country. Youth Tour participants will meet congressional representatives, tour museums, historic sites and memorials, and enjoy events and entertainment.”

“The students all come together for Youth Day, where they can interact and hear speakers who provide insight into the roles electric co-ops play in their communities. Youth Tour gives students the opportunity to see the nation’s capital up close, learn about the political process and interact with their elected officials.”

How to Apply:

“Download and complete the Youth Tour application, and email it to [email protected], or mail a completed application package with all accompanying materials to: NOVEC, attn. Youth Tour, P.O. Box 2710, Manassas, 20108.”

“The completed application, essay, and two letters of recommendation must be received by 5 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2024. The letters of recommendation must be emailed or mailed separately from the application. After reviewing the applications, NOVEC will interview candidates in-person.”

“If you are unable to download the application or have other questions, email [email protected].”

 

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Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative: “Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) will accept post-holiday cut Christmas trees and greens at its Gainesville Technical Center at 5399 Wellington Branch Road, near Interstate 66 and U.S. 29.”

“Residents can begin leaving trees and greens on Tuesday, Dec. 26, and NOVEC will continue to accept them through Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Residents should leave greens in the section of the parking lot marked by orange safety cones; drop off does not have to take place during business hours.”

“Greens must be free of all decorations, ornament hooks, wires, and light strings. NOVEC’s Vegetation Management employees will turn the trees, wreaths and garland into mulch to reduce holiday landfill waste.”

“For more information about recycling holiday greens, contact NOVEC’s Vegetation Management department at 703-335-0500, ext. 1600, or [email protected].”

Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative: “Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) is teaming up with others in the energy industry to attract more women, particularly those who may be interested in field work.”

“On Friday, Nov. 3, the Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC) will host a free, one-day energy career
experience for high school girls and young women who may be interested in working on a line crew, in a substation, with advanced metering technology, or as a fiber broadband technician.”

“Instructors will lead students through hands-on activities in the classroom and outdoors at the VMDAEC’s state-of-the-art Electric Cooperative Training Center in Palmyra.”

“Attendees will learn about safety on the job, how to climb a utility pole, and operate a bucket truck. They will also meet individually with industry human resources professionals to review their resumes and discuss interviewing best practices.”

“Representatives will be available to answer questions about career paths and workplace culture. High school girls will have to take time off from school, but the day can count as a career exploration day for attendance purposes. The day’s roster is limited to 60 participants.”

“Hard hats and other necessary safety equipment will be provided. The minimum age for participants is about 15, but younger students may also be
considered. High school graduates are welcome as well. The only prerequisite is an interest in learning about a career in the electric utility industry.”

“Watch a video about the event. The event begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. To sign up, go to vmdaec.com/girl-power-camp.”