Georgia Power restoration efforts nearing completion with power to more than 365,000 customers restored since Friday

ATLANTA, Dec. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Throughout the day today, Georgia Power has largely completed restoration efforts following this weekend's winter weather. Crews have worked around the clock in difficult conditions, including snow, freezing rain and ice since the storm hit, restoring power to hundreds of thousands of customers since Friday. Teams will remain engaged in restoration and repair work in the field until all customers, who can accept power, are reconnected.  

Customers in some of the hardest hits areas of North Georgia may not be able reconnect to Georgia Power service due to extensive damage. Georgia Power reminds customers that the electrical service entry point on their home or business, including the meter box and other components, must be repaired before Georgia Power can reconnect service. The company cannot, by law, connect power to a damaged meter box, or other non-Georgia Power components, and property owners should contact a qualified electrician to make repairs in order for the company to reconnect service.

Restoration Update

• Since noon Friday, restoration crews have been in field and have safely restored power to approximately 365,000 customers. 
• As of 7:30 p.m. Sunday, approximately 13,000 customers are without power statewide according to Georgia Power's Online Outage Map. Local estimated restoration times (ERTs) customers are available on the Outage Map and the company will regularly update the Outage Map and other customer notification resources during the remainder of the restoration process with any changes in these ERTs.
• Approximately 1,200 individual cases of damage or trouble (including broken poles and lines) the company is working to repair.

Georgia Power reminds customers to keep safety first during severe winter weather and offers multiple tools and resources to stay connected and informed.

After the Storm Safety Tips

• Watch for downed wires. Downed power lines may be hidden by snow, debris or fallen trees.
• Never touch any downed wire or attempt to remove tree branches from power lines ? it can kill.
• Don't step in standing water or saturated ground where downed lines may be present. They could be electrified.
• Avoid chain link fences. They may be electrified by a downed line out of sight and conduct electricity over great distances.
• Watch for Georgia Power crews working across the state. If driving, move over one lane for utility vehicles stopped on the side of the road - it's the law in Georgia.

Tools You Can Use 

• Outage Alerts ? Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message.
• Outage & Storm Center ? Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.  
• Outage Map ? Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times.
• Georgia Power Mobile App ? Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go.
• @GeorgiaPower on Twitter ? Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more.
• Winter Weather Prep Videos ? Check out a series of informational videos on winter weather preparation at  GeorgiaPower.com/WinterPrep.

When severe weather strikes, Georgia Power has access to additional resources available as part of the Southern Company system, which includes multiple electric and gas companies serving more than 9 million customers nationwide. Additionally, Georgia Power is part of a national mutual assistance network consisting of dozens of utilities from around the country, and the company is able to tap into reinforcements when needed to restore power to Georgia customers following a storm. 

About Georgia Power 
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power