RALEIGH, N.C. (Oct. 3, 2024; 8:00 a.m.) – North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have restored power to 164,000 members as crews continue to battle challenging conditions in their efforts to repair and rebuild electric infrastructure in the western part of the state. Extreme flooding from Tropical Storm Helene caused landslides and washed-out roads, which are still making many areas difficult to access to assess damage and begin restoration efforts.

Despite this unprecedented damage, cooperative crews continue to make progress and hundreds of reinforcements from more than 30 electric cooperatives both in-state and out-of-state are on the ground working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Working in coordination with dozens of contract crews, tree trimmers and road graders, co-op crews will continue to work tirelessly until power is restored to the 72,000 members who are still without power.

“While Tropical Storm Helene brought her worst, the unity and helping spirit that we are seeing in western North Carolina represents our best,” said Nelle Hotchkiss, senior vice president and chief operating officer for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, the trade association for the state’s 26 local electric co-ops. “We are resilient, we are strong, and we are in this together.”

The severity of this damage, combined with limited access to some areas due to destroyed roadways means power may not be returned to these hardest hit areas for weeks. In many cases, crews are hiking miles to access damage to the system because of the road conditions.

As crews continue their restoration efforts, cooperatives urge members to please use caution around utility workers along highways and roadways. Slow down and respect work zones as crews work hard to restore power.

Real-time outage numbers from electric cooperatives across the state are available on a Statewide Outage Map.

Safety:

• Do not touch a circuit breaker or replace a fuse with wet hands or while standing on a wet surface.
• Do not use electrical equipment and electronics, including receptacles, that have been submerged in water.
• If it is necessary to use a portable generator, always operate the generator outdoors in an open area. Use an extension cord to connect the generator directly to the appliance and ensure the extension cord has three-prongs and is rated for the amount of power used by the appliance.
• Do not connect your portable generator directly to your home’s wiring. A generator that is directly connected can “backfeed” into the power lines connected to your house and could electrocute anyone working on the power lines.

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North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives collectively serve approximately 2.5 million people in 93 of the state’s 100 counties. For more information, please visit ncelectriccooperatives.com.