N.C. Co-Op Restoration Work Continues, Outages Now Down To 23,000

RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- North Carolina's electric cooperatives are continuing to make outage restoration progress in the wake of Hurricane Florence. Cooperative outages statewide have now dropped to about 23,000, down from a historic high of 326,000 on Saturday.

Outages and restoration:
Remaining outages are concentrated in the hardest-hit areas of coastal and southeastern North Carolina. Real-time outage numbers and locations for co-ops throughout North Carolina can be accessed online.

Cooperative crews from less-impacted regions are joining local, out-of-state and contract crews in more heavily damaged communities to help restore power as quickly as possible. In areas where restoration points are inaccessible due to flooding or damaged roadways, or where damage to power poles and power lines is severe, the restoration effort may last several more days.

Thank you to our members:
We thank cooperative members for their patience and many kind words as crews and co-op staff have worked tirelessly and diligently to rebuild after the storm and historic flooding. Restoring power quickly and safely is the electric cooperatives' priority. We will continue working to bring the lights back on for all members.

Safety:

• If your home was flooded, and water reached the electric meter, electric service cannot be restored until inspections are done and approvals are granted. Energizing structures that have been compromised by flood waters that reached the member's electric meter can result in house fires as well as serious personal injury or death.
• Help keep our crews safe. If you see utility crews working on the side of the road, slow down and drive carefully.
• Never wade into or drive through flood water.
• Only use generators and charcoal grills in well-ventilated outdoor areas; a garage does not count as a well-ventilated area.
• Never connect a generator directly to a home's wiring. Instead, use an extension cord to plug lights and appliances into the generator.
• Never touch a downed power line, and remember that sometimes debris can cover fallen lines, making them difficult to spot.

About North Carolina's electric cooperatives:
North Carolina's 26 electric cooperatives collectively serve approximately 2.5 million people in 93 of the state's 100 counties. Six electric cooperatives serve 16 North Carolina beaches, and many more serve hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in other parts of eastern North Carolina.

SOURCE North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives