RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 5, 2019, 7 p.m.) –As Hurricane Dorian moves north along the coast, power restoration crews from North Carolina’s electric cooperatives stand ready to restore any additional outages as soon as conditions are safe. Currently, 2,500 electric cooperative members are without power, primarily in coastal communities bordering South Carolina.
Crews worked this morning to bring power back to approximately 5,000 cooperative members who experienced outages from destructive tornadoes in Brunswick and Carteret Counties. Since then, however, it’s been a ‘wait-and-see’ game with crews addressing scattered outages and bracing for the impact yet to come.
“The real story will happen overnight as winds pick up and cause trees and branches to fall on power lines,” said Mike Burnette, senior vice president of power supply and chief operating officer of North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “In these kinds of situations, crews have to first access the area and then clear debris before rebuilding the line, so we encourage all co-op members to be prepared for the possibility of prolonged outages.”
Line restoration crews from locally impacted cooperatives are joined by an army of support personnel from other cooperatives, as well as contract crews from across the state and nation. Together, they will work as quickly and safely as possible to restore any outages Dorian brings.
Cooperative members are encouraged to keep cell phones charged and their co-op’s outage reporting number handy. Real-time cooperative outage information is available anytime on a live Statewide Outage Map.
Cooperative members should keep these safety tips in mind:
- Never touch or attempt to clear debris from a downed power line. Always assume that power lines are energized and dangerous. Report any downed or fallen power lines to your electric cooperative.
- Stay tuned to local forecasts and your electric cooperative for the latest information on the storm and safety.
- Never drive through flooded areas.
North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives collectively serve approximately 2.5 million people in 93 of the state’s 100 counties. For more information, visit ncelectriccooperatives.com.
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