ATLANTA, June 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power crews
are responding to scattered outages this morning as a result of
heavy rain and gusty winds overnight associated with the remnants
of Tropical Storm Claudette. Approximately 5,000 customers are
currently without power as the weather system continues to move
east across central and north Georgia.
Crews are finding wires down and broken poles in some areas
caused by fallen trees, limbs and debris, and will be working
throughout the day to make repairs. Heavy rains and saturated soil
means wind gusts are likely to bring down trees that could cause
additional outages.
Customers are encouraged to prepare, stay weather aware and keep
safety in mind as dangerous conditions can exist following storms.
The company has developed a series of storm videos addressing
customers' frequently asked questions about storm response and
restoration that can be found here. Customers should follow
@GeorgiaPower on Twitter and at http://www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm
for storm tips, information about restoration efforts, customer
service and more.
Severe weather can happen anytime across Georgia:
- Before a Storm: Know your risks of flooding and
tropical storm or hurricane strength winds. Check your emergency
kit, unplug major appliances and charge cell phones in case you
lose power.
- During a Storm: Have several ways to receive
emergency notifications and weather updates. Take safe shelter
inside a sturdy building away from windows and doors. Avoid contact
with conductors of electricity - appliances, metal objects and
water.
- After a Storm: Never touch any downed or
low-hanging wire, including telephone or TV wires that touch a
power line. Never pull tree limbs off power lines or enter areas
with debris or downed trees as downed power lines may be buried in
wreckage. Additionally, do not walk or drive through standing water
or step onto saturated ground where downed lines may be
present.
After the Storm Safety Tips:
- Watch for downed wires. Downed power lines may be
hidden by debris or fallen trees.
- Never touch any downed wire or attempt to remove tree
branches from power lines – it can kill.
- Don't step in standing water or saturated ground where
downed lines may be present. They could be electrified.
- Avoid chain link fences. They may be electrified by
a downed line out of sight and conduct electricity over great
distances.
- Watch for Georgia Power crews working across the
state. If driving, move over one lane for utility vehicles
stopped on the side of the road – it's the law in Georgia.
- Protect electronics and appliances. Disconnect or turn
off any appliances that will start automatically when power returns
to avoid overloading circuits when power is restored.
Additional Tools You Can Use:
- Outage & Storm Center – Available
at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm, customers can visit this site
to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of
outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers
can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by
contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.
- Outage Map – Housed within the Outage & Storm
Center, Georgia Power's 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 – Download the Georgia
Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices
to access storm and outage information on the go.
- Outage Alerts – Subscribe to the free Georgia Power
Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and
updates via text message.
Infrastructure Investment – Reliability and Resiliency
The company continually invests in infrastructure to increase the
day-to-day reliability of its systems and shorten outage and repair
time. The company's use of Smart Grid technology and increased
automation in recent years mean an increased ability to more
quickly isolate outages that do occur to smaller numbers of
customers and reroute power remotely for improved reliability.
In addition, Georgia Power's operational plans, systems,
infrastructure and generating plants are all designed to enhance
the resiliency of the network to best withstand major occurrences,
such as severe weather events, including tornadoes, hurricanes and
extreme heat or cold. Resiliency investments include upgrading
transmission and distribution infrastructure across the power grid,
including making power lines more durable.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern
Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value,
Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones
of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four
of Georgia's 159 counties.
Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy
at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a
diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and
natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and
wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to
its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power
as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more
information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the
company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter
(Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram
(Instagram.com/ga_power).
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SOURCE Georgia Power