No electric? No problem.

PPL Electric Utilities has upgraded its system with smart grid technology.The new automated power restoration system can have the lights back on in minutes - even before a work crew can get to the scene of the outage, said Paul Wirth, a PPL spokesman.How?A new software developed by GE uses a system of sensors and switches installed on electric poles to alert the center of an outage. Remote-control switches reroute electricity and restore power to most of the affected customers. Only those closest to the cause of the outage are left without power, until it is fixed by crews.Wirth said that the electricity is rerouted to another line connected to a building.For instance, if a downed tree prevents electricity from flowing through the main line at the front of a house, PPL can reroute the electricity to come in through a secondary line. Once the crews have repaired the line, then electricity can be switched back onto the primary lines."We are taking a giant leap in reducing the length of power outages," Wirth said.PPL began installing the pole-top sensors about three years ago. Each sensor box is the size of a refrigerator, he said. And it is hoisted by a crane and installed into place.It takes crews about a half day to install one box, and all while the wires remain live, he said. Turning off the power would affect service to the customers.The smart grid system was turned on in June, after about 4,700 electric poles in the 29 counties in PPL's coverage were completed. The company has about 1 million poles total. They plan to install about another 1,000 sensors and switches over the next year."This will make the PPL smart grid system even more effective, further improving the reliability of our service for customers," said David Quier, the utility's operations director.PPL is one of only a handful of utility companies in the United States that is using this technology, Wirth said. Since the smart grid was turned on, power outages have decreased by 30 percent compared with outages in 2007.Another 15 percent fewer outages are expected in the next five years.PPL is also improving service by making lines and equipment more storm proof, installing guards to keep squirrels and other animals from causing outages, and expanded tree trimming. Downed trees and limbs are the major cause of power outages during storms.For more information about smart grid or to view a short video on how it works, go to

www.pplelectric.com/smartgrid.