Ensure Your Home Will Be Ready to Receive Power

Know who’s responsible — so you’re never left in the dark longer than necessary.

When a storm rolls through or an unexpected outage hits, you want power restored as quickly as possible. At Greeneville Energy Authority (GEA), we’re prepared to respond, but getting your home back online is a team effort. Understanding who owns what can make the difference between a fast restoration and an unnecessary delay.

Diagram: Overhead and underground service components for a typical residential connection.

What GEA Owns and Maintains

GEA is responsible for the infrastructure that delivers electricity from the grid to your property line. This includes:

• Power distribution lines and power poles
• Transformers (pole-mounted and padmounted)
• The service line, from the utility pole or padmounted transformer to your meter
• Your electric meter
• Tree trimming along utility lines

If any of these components are damaged or malfunctioning, contact GEA, and our crews will handle the repair.

What You Own and Are Responsible For

As a homeowner, you are responsible for the equipment on your side of the meter. This includes:

• The weatherhead – the entry point where service lines connect to your home
• The service mast – the conduit that supports wiring from the weatherhead down to the meter
• The service mast guy wire – the support cable securing the mast
• The meter socket – the housing that holds your electric meter
• The service panel (breaker box) and all interior wiring

Tips to Stay Prepared

• Keep the contact information for a licensed electrician handy before storm season.
• Know whether your home receives overhead or underground service – the diagram above shows both.
• If you suspect damage after a storm please contact GEA