Our Reliability
We're committed to bringing you dependable power with fewer interruptions.
At Cobb EMC, reliability isn't just a goal - it's our commitment to our members. We have a resilient energy grid, and we’re working every day to improve and maintain our infrastructure to provide perfect power. That means you experience fewer interruptions, and should the power go out, we get the lights back on as quickly as possible.
Reliability You Can Count On
Cobb EMC is ranked #1 nationally for restoring outages quickly according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ 2025 benchmark year study results. Reliability is more than just our job. It’s our purpose.
Learn how we work to ensure a resilient grid, so you have the power you can rely on:
System Upgrades Keep the Grid Strong
We maintain more than 9,000 miles of power lines across five counties. Just like your car needs regular maintenance, so does the electric grid. Our crews:
- Replace aging poles and underground cables
- Build new substations to meet growing demand
- Reinforce poles with wraps and toppers for added durability
Our SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) helps us continuously monitor equipment in real time, so we can act fast when issues arise. Cobb EMC was the first co-op in Georgia to implement SCADA—just one example of how we lead with innovation.
Smart Technology, Faster Response
Our smart grid includes:
- Smart meters that instantly alert us when power is lost
- A fiber-optic network for fast, secure communication
- A 24/7/365 Power Control Center that monitors weather and system performance
We also use:
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map outages
- Outage Management Systems (OMS) to predict outage locations
- Mobile workforce tools to dispatch crews efficiently
These technologies work together to reduce downtime and keep your power flowing.
Power Blinks
Power blinks typically occur when something comes into contact with a power line or protective device, creating a quick rise of electrical current. The brief delay usually lasts less than two seconds and is most often caused by trees, animals, and lightning. Learn about these brief service interruptions and how we work to minimize their impact.
Trimming Trees
Trees and vegetation are among the top causes of outages. To keep power flowing, we proactively maintain approximately 400 miles of right-of-way each year by trimming trees and cleaning brush around power lines to prevent interference. Trees and brush can act as conductors of electricity, and proactively trimming trees along our power lines helps reduce blinks and outages, as well as eliminates safety hazards for our crews and the community.
System Resiliency
To provide the most efficient service possible, we power our homes and businesses from various sources. Each of Cobb EMC’s more than 200 distribution circuits is tied in with others so, if necessary, power can be delivered from an adjoining circuit. This allows for more outages to be restored faster. See how we provide reliable service to our large industrial/commercial members.
Power You Can Count On
Investments in our infrastructure and smart grid technology help us prevent outages and ensure we can restore power to as many members as quickly as possible in the event outages do occur. Since 2006, we’ve leveraged this technology to prevent nearly 900,000 extended power outages - restoring service in less than 5 minutes.
Smart Meters
Smart meters do more than report outages—they empower you to track your energy use by the hour. Here’s how:
- View your usage in real time
- Make informed energy-saving decisions
- Read your meter easily with a digital display
Reliability through Innovation
We’re constantly exploring new tools to improve reliability, for example:
- Padmounted substations for safer, more efficient power delivery
- Drones and satellite imagery for faster inspections
- Advanced analytics to predict and prevent outages
Supporting Future Linemen
We’re proud to support the next generation of linemen by partnering with the Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) and the Cobb Innovation and Technology Academy (CITA). Cobb EMC has helped to relocate a training yard at GNTC and built a new training yard at CITA. These facilities will serve to prepare future linemen with the skills needed to be safe and successful in the field.
Bringing Power Abroad
Cobb EMC linemen are proud to volunteer to assist NRECA International in their efforts to provide access to safe, reliable, and affordable electricity worldwide. Our linemen have brought electricity to rural locations in Bolivia, Costa Rica and Guatemala. The NRECA International Fund has helped establish over 250 electric utilities and cooperatives in 48 countries.
Affordable, Reliable Power
We’re committed to keeping your power affordable. That’s why we:
- Purchase electricity from multiple producers to get the best rates
- Offer flexible rate plans to fit your lifestyle
Explore your rate options.
Smart Meters
Reading a smart meter is easy. Once you learn the basics, you can easily measure your own electric use by simply checking your meter. Your smart meter uses a digital readout alternating between two different displays:
- The initial screen will display "888888…" indicating that the unit is functioning properly.
- The next screen shows the total kWh of energy use. This 5-digit number is cumulative and may include leading zeros.
Cobb EMC does not reset the meter each month, so you can see how much electricity you have used by simply subtracting the previous month’s reading from the present reading. Your previous month’s reading can be found on your bill statement.
Sources: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Cooperative Research Network, Sandia National Laboratories, Idaho National Laboratory, Cooperative Research Network and articles written by Scott Gates, NRECA.