Georgia Power has restored power to 840,000+
customers Hurricane Helene; 15,000+ personnel remain engaged
in restoration
ATLANTA, Sept. 30,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power continues its
deployment of more than 15,000 personnel responding to Hurricane
Helene – determined to be the most destructive hurricane in the
company's history. As of midday Monday, the company has restored
power to more than 840,000 customers impacted by Helene. This rapid
response has been possible through the implementation of new "smart
grid" technologies and the quick work of pre-positioned teams who
were ready to respond as soon as conditions were safe to do so on
Friday.
Efforts are fully underway to restore power to approximately
370,000 customers who remain without power due to the storm.
Hurricane Helene had a statewide impact and Georgia Power matched
that with a statewide response, including engagement of every
Georgia Power crew at the beginning of the storm and thousands of
additional lineworkers from outside of Georgia. As restoration has progressed over
the last several days, crews are working their way through the
power system efficiently and effectively to repair extreme damage
and restore power to the highest number of customers with every
repair made.
As crews have completed their work near their initial staging
areas, they are now converging on the hardest hit areas in coastal,
eastern and southern Georgia.
Georgia Power's Outage Map illustrates the highest
concentration of power outages in areas such as Augusta, Valdosta and Savannah, and surrounding communities. In many
cases, the damage to infrastructure is so severe teams are
essentially rebuilding parts of the grid and not just repairing
specific elements.
Updated damage estimates illustrating the extensive destruction
of Hurricane Helene include:
- 7,000+ power poles that must be repaired or
replaced
- 15,000+ spans of wire equivalent to more than 700
miles
- 1,200+ transformers
- 3,000+ trees on power lines that must be removed
or addressed to restore power
Georgia Power president, chairman and CEO Kim Greene has been in the field with crews
making sure they have the resources they need to restore power. A
video message from Greene to customers illustrating the damage she
is seeing in the field is available on Facebook and Instagram.
The company also continues to utilize social media to keep
customers informed and show the progress of teams working in
communities across the state.
Restoration Status Being Regularly Updated
Georgia
Power appreciates the importance of accurate information for
customers as they make plans for their families following this
historic storm. As the company anticipated and announced before the
arrival of the storm, restoration efforts are taking multiple days
in many areas due to the extensive damage from Helene. Georgia
Power continues to post updated estimated restoration times (ERTs)
for communities on its Outage Map. Restoration efforts have been
largely completed in areas such as Metro Atlanta, Athens, Columbus, Macon, Rome and Albany, while work continues in the hardest
hit areas across the state.
The company will continue to post updated information throughout
the remainder of the restoration process and will make every effort
to return power to customers sooner than expected. Customers are
encouraged to check the Outage Map often for the latest information
and not rely on possibly inaccurate details they may see from
non-company sources.
Preparation, Industry Support Key to Response
Georgia
Power monitored the path of Hurricane Helene for more than a week
prior to the storm entering Georgia. As part of its preparations, Georgia
Power mobilized additional staff from across the industry to
respond to Hurricane Helene. Mobilized crews across the state
pre-positioned restoration workers, equipment, and supplies near
areas of anticipated impact including extra transformers, poles,
cable and other equipment. All this is part of advance planning and
strategy to allow the company to restore power more quickly and
efficiently for its customers as soon as weather conditions
allow.
The company continues to utilize additional resources from
outside of its system and currently has more than 15,000 personnel
engaged in response, including support from Alabama Power,
Mississippi Power and dozens of other companies. The response force
currently engaged is larger than the company's response to other
major hurricanes including Michael, Irma and Zeta.
Georgia Power is also a member of a nationwide mutual assistance
network, which consists of hundreds of utilities from around the
country. Georgia Power has proactively mobilized crews from
over 35 companies from states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New
Jersey. The company continues to acquire additional
off-system resources to aid in response.
As always, the company encourages customers to keep safety
first following Hurricane Helene:
- 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.
- 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.
- Never attempt repairs to electric service
connections. Customers should also note that if their
home, including the meter box or mast/connection point, is severely
damaged by the storm repairs may need to be made by an electrician
before Georgia Power can reconnect power.
Tools You Can Use to Stay Connected & Informed
- Outage Alerts – Customers subscribed to our free
Georgia Power Outage Alert service will receive personalized
notifications and updates via text message. Check that your contact
number is up to date to receive the latest information.
- Outage & Storm Center – Available
at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm, customers can visit this site
to check their contact information is updated to receive Outage
Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful
safety tips and information. Customers can also 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.
- @GeorgiaPower on X (Twitter) – Follow @GeorgiaPower
on X for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and
more.
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 2.7
million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to
delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, 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), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram
(Instagram.com/ga_power).
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SOURCE Georgia Power