RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 28, 2024; 9:00 a.m.) – Co-op line crews are out in force working to restore power to members after Tropical Storm Helene swept through the state Thursday and Friday bringing historic damage to western North Carolina communities.

Strong winds and heavy rainfall led to downed trees and extreme flooding, causing widespread power outages across electric cooperative service territories. Co-op line crews have worked diligently and around the clock to restore power to more than 37,000 members since reaching a peak in outages Friday afternoon. As of 9:00 a.m. Saturday, approximately 198,000 co-op members are without power in the western part of the state.

Outage numbers may continue to fluctuate as crews battle tough conditions with downed trees, widespread flooding and road closures still causing delays in power restoration. Officials report that because of these extreme conditions, as well as the extent of damage across western North Carolina, this will likely be a multi-day power outage event for thousands of members.

Cooperatives from the eastern and central parts of the state, along with peer cooperative crews from other parts of the nation, have traveled to support local crews in hard-hit western North Carolina.

“The damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene is extensive and unprecedented and restoration efforts will take quite a bit of time and patience,” said Lee Ragsdale, senior vice president of energy delivery at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “The safety of our crews and members is our number one priority at this time as co-op lineworkers and field staff continue to assess damage and work to restore power as quicky and safely as possible.”

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives continue to urge members to use extreme caution as restoration efforts continue and conditions improve:

• Do not approach any areas where power lines are downed, and never touch a downed line. Remember, flood waters, fallen trees and debris can hide downed power lines.
• Please heed the advice of state and local officials and stay off the roads. If you must go out, please use caution around utility workers so that they can safely and effectively work to restore power.
• 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.

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

###

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.