Why Did My Power Blink?
If you've ever noticed your lights blink during a thunderstorm—or come home to find the microwave clock flashing—you may have wondered what happened.
In many cases, that brief interruption isn't a problem. It's actually your electric system doing exactly what it was designed to do.
A Power Blink Is a Protective Response
Electric lines are exposed to the elements every day. Lightning, tree branches, wildlife, high winds, and other outside factors can occasionally create a temporary fault on the electric system.
When that happens, protective equipment on the line immediately detects the problem and automatically shuts off power for a split second. It then quickly restores power to determine whether the fault has cleared.
If the temporary condition is gone—such as a tree branch falling away or a squirrel moving off the line—service is restored almost instantly, and you may only notice your lights blink.
This process helps prevent longer outages by clearing many temporary faults without requiring crews to respond.
How the System Protects You
Protective devices, similar to circuit breakers in your home but designed for the electric distribution system, continuously monitor the flow of electricity.
When they detect a fault, they act within fractions of a second to:
- Protect power lines and equipment from damage.
- Help keep lineworkers and the public safe.
- Isolate temporary problems before they become larger outages.
- Restore service automatically whenever it's safe to do so.
In other words, a brief blink often means the system successfully prevented a more significant interruption.
Why Doesn't the Power Always Come Right Back?
Sometimes the fault doesn't clear.
If a tree remains on the line, equipment is damaged, or another persistent problem exists, the protective device will stop attempting to restore power and leave the line de-energized until crews can safely make repairs.
While an outage is never convenient, this safety feature helps protect both the electric system and the people who work on it.
Common Causes of Power Blinks
Many temporary faults are caused by things beyond anyone's control, including:
- Lightning
- Tree branches contacting power lines
- Squirrels, birds, snakes, or other wildlife
- High winds
- Vehicle accidents
- Other unexpected events affecting the electric system
Protecting Your Electronics
A brief power blink is simply a temporary interruption in electric service and, by itself, is generally not harmful to household appliances.
However, the weather or electrical event that caused the blink—such as lightning, a tree contacting a power line, or another fault on the electric system—can sometimes create voltage disturbances that may affect sensitive electronics.
For that reason, DEMCO recommends using surge protection for valuable electronic equipment. Plug-in surge protectors can help protect televisions, computers, gaming systems, and other electronics, while a whole-home surge protector provides an additional layer of protection for your home's electrical system.
How You Can Help
While not every power blink can be prevented, members can help reduce unnecessary outages by:
- Keeping trees and vegetation away from power lines.
- Never attaching signs, cameras, birdhouses, feeders, decorations, or other objects to utility poles.
- Reporting damaged poles or downed power lines immediately.
- Using surge protection for valuable electronic equipment, especially during storm season.
The Bottom Line
A blinking clock or flickering lights can be frustrating, but in many cases, that brief interruption is evidence that DEMCO's protective equipment worked exactly as intended.
While the underlying event that caused the blink may occasionally create voltage disturbances, the protective equipment itself is designed to isolate faults, protect the electric system, and restore service as quickly as it is safe to do so. These split-second operations often prevent a temporary problem from becoming a prolonged outage—helping DEMCO provide safe, reliable electric service to the members and communities we serve.
