We do not prioritize who is restored – we prioritize what is restored. While we do prioritize critical infrastructure like hospitals, most of our restoration efforts follow the flow of electricity, which means restoring big problems before smaller problems. Typically, that means repairing transmission and substations, then main lines, and so on and so forth. The lines running directly from the transformer to the meter on your house are usually the last to receive attention. If we were to work in reverse, and start with fixing the problems at your house, it likely wouldn’t make a difference if there are problems “above” your house, i.e., with the main feeder, the substation, etc. – you would still be out of power. This method means restoring the greatest number of people as quickly as possible. This also means that power may be restored to most of an area or neighborhood, leaving only a few homes without service due to more localized damage.
