Power restored to 95%+ of Georgia Power customers impacted by Hurricane Helene By Investing.com

Crews are managing final intensive restorative efforts in the hardest-hit areas and will remain in the field until all customers who can accept power are reconnected.

Atlanta, October 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Georgia Power restored power to more than 1.3 million customers in the wake of Hurricane Helen – more than 95% of all customers affected by the most destructive hurricane in the company’s history. Extensive restoration efforts were still underway to reconnect customers in the hardest-hit areas of the state, particularly Augusta where 80% of affected customers had been reconnected as of Saturday morning, and work was continuing to reconnect nearly 50,000 customers who remained without power. While damage and treacherous conditions remain, teams are working around the clock and will remain in the field until every customer that can accept power is reconnected.

“Our work is not complete until every customer with access to energy has it, and we want our customers to know that commitment is shared by everyone on our team,” he said. Kim greenChairman, President and CEO of the company Georgia Power. “We have matched the devastation of Hurricane Helen with an army of thousands of line workers, who continue to work through downed trees, miles of downed power poles and downed lines to restore light to the city. Georgia Homes and businesses. “I am grateful for their hard work to reconnect with so many customers so quickly, and for the continued resilience and patience of our customers and communities.”

Hurricane Helen caused widespread devastation across the state Georgia ” from Atlanta Northern suburbs, to Columbusl Albanyl Valdosta and Savannah. Virtually no part of the state was spared from the storm. More than 20,000 employees contributed to the company’s rapid hurricane response and remained engaged with crews working their way through the power system efficiently and effectively to repair extensive damage and restore power to as many customers as possible with each repair performed. In many cases, the damage to infrastructure has been so severe that teams are essentially rebuilding parts of the network and not just repairing specific elements.

Georgia Power It is part of Southern Company (NYSE:) The system, which continues to coordinate and contribute to restoration and relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helen. Several charities across the system pledged on Friday 3 million dollars To support recovery efforts. Read more here.

“As Georgia continues to rebuild in the coming weeks and months, we know our customers will continue to need support. We are actively working with community leaders across the state, identifying opportunities for us to provide assistance and demonstrate our commitment to being a citizen wherever we serve,” Green added.

Updated damage estimates showing the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Helen include:

• More than 8,300 electricity poles Which must be repaired or replaced
• Over 21,000 stretches of wire The damage is equivalent to about 1,000 miles
• 2000+ Transformers harmony
• More than 3200 trees On power lines That must be removed or treated to restore energy

Restore and reconnect status

Georgia Power She appreciates the importance of accurate information to customers as they make plans for their families after this historic hurricane. As the company expected and announced before the storm arrived, restoration efforts will take several days in many areas due to the extensive damage caused by Helen. Georgia Power It continues to post updated Estimated Recovery Times (ERTs) for communities on its Outage Map.

The company will continue to post updated information throughout the remainder of the restoration and will make every effort to restore power to customers sooner than expected. However, as new damage appears in previously inaccessible areas, restoration efforts may take longer than originally expected. Customers are encouraged to check the Outage Map often for the most up-to-date information and not to rely on potentially inaccurate details they may see from sources outside the company.

The company currently estimates that up to 8,000 customer homes may not be able to be safely reconnected due to damage to the electrical service entrance. The company cannot repair or restore power to homes with damaged service entrances and encourages customers to call 1-877-749-3931 to request service entrance repair or to contact a certified electrician in their area. Read more here.

Preparation and industry support is key to response

Georgia Power Hurricane Helen’s track was monitored for more than a week before Hurricane Helen entered Georgia. As part of its preparations Georgia Power It mobilized additional staff from across the industry to respond. Mobilized crews across the state placed restoration workers, equipment and supplies in locations close to areas of expected impact including additional transformers, poles, cables, wires and other equipment. Hurricane Helen had a statewide impact and Georgia Power This was matched by a statewide response, including everyone’s participation Georgia Power The crew at the beginning of the storm and thousands of additional line workers from outside Georgia. It’s all part of advance planning and strategy to allow the company to more quickly and efficiently restore power to its customers as soon as weather conditions allow.

The company continues to use additional resources from outside its system including support from Alabama power, Mississippi power And dozens of other companies. The response force currently in operation is greater than the company’s response to other major hurricanes including Michael, Irma and Zeta.

Georgia Power It is also a member of the National Mutual Aid Network, which consists of hundreds of facilities from across the country. Georgia Power has proactively mobilized crews from dozens of companies from states including ca, Florida, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texasbesides Canada. The company continues to seek additional external resources to assist in the response.

As always, the company encourages customers to keep safety first after Hurricane Helen:

• Pay attention to Georgia Power Crews working across the state. When driving, cross one lane of utility vehicles parked on the side of the road. This is the law Georgia.
• Watch for fallen wires. Downed power lines may be hidden by debris or fallen trees.
• Never touch a downed wire or attempt to remove tree branches from power lines – it can kill.
• Do not step in standing water or saturated ground where streaks may be present. It can be electrified.
• Avoid chain link fencing. They may be electrified by a line falling out of sight and conduct electricity over long distances.
• Never attempt to repair electrical service connections. Customers should also note that if their home, including the meter box or mast/call point, is severely damaged, repairs may need to be made by an electrician before Georgia Power The power can be reconnected.

Tools you can use to stay connected and informed

• Outage alerts” Customers who subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service will receive personalized notifications and updates via text message. Make sure your contact number is up to date to receive the latest information.
• “Center of the outage and the storm” Available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm, customers can visit this site to check that their contact information is up to date to receive outage alerts, report and verify outages, and access helpful safety tips and information. Customers can also report and check outage status 24 hours a day by calling Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.
• Outage map “Located inside the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power The interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times.
• Georgia Power Mobile App ” to download Georgia Power Mobile app for Apple (NASDAQ:) and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go.
• @GeorgiaPower on X (Twitter) Follow @GeorgiaPower on X For storm tips, outage updates, customer service, and more.

on Georgia Power

Georgia Power It is the largest subsidiary of electricity South Company (NYSE: SO), America’s leading energy company. Value, reliability, customer service and stewardship are the cornerstones of the company’s promise to 2.7 million customers worldwide with all but four Georgia 159 counties. Committed to providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power It maintains a diverse and innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and power, as well as renewable energy sources such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power Focuses on providing world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by Energy dinar As a leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (NASDAQ:) (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).