Raleigh, N.C. — The National Weather Service reports that Hurricane Arthur could bring strong winds, tornadoes, torrential rains and flooding from storm surge to coastal areas in North Carolina as early as Thursday evening. North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, the primary power providers in coastal and rural areas of the state, are prepared to restore power in a safe and efficient manner if outages result from the severe weather.
Cooperative officials say the goal is to restore power safely to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible. The restoration process generally involves performing repairs at any substation that may be completely out and then moving on to primary and secondary lines on the system, medical facilities and individuals on life-support, and finally, on to individual services. Crews from cooperatives across North Carolina are in place to assist local linemen in areas where severe conditions are expected.
It is important to remember that downed power lines are potentially deadly and should always be avoided. Assume that all power lines are energized, and call your local cooperative immediately to report any fallen lines.
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives serve approximately 2.5 million people in 93 of the state’s 100 counties.