RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 29, 2024; 8:30 a.m.) – From the mountains, all the way to the coast, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have banded together to support the communities of western North Carolina. Power restoration crews including tree trimmers, line technicians and construction crews have worked tirelessly to restore power to more than 84,000 members and counting.

This storm has created unprecedent challenges, including flooding, landslides and washed-out roads that are inhibiting crews from reaching the hardest hit areas to repair – and in many cases – rebuild the system. With 150,700 outages remaining, crews will continue to work tirelessly to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

“While we’ve seen outage numbers tick down, we do want to urge co-op members to be prepared for prolonged outages, especially in the hardest hit areas where outages could remain for the next seven days,” said Lee Ragsdale, senior vice president of energy delivery at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “The impact of this storm is like nothing we’ve ever seen before, but the resolve of the cooperatives to restore power to members as safely and quickly as possible is strong.”

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

Safety:

• 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.