ATLANTA, Oct. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power is on
track to have service restored to more than 90 percent of customers
impacted by Hurricane Matthew, who can accept power, by midnight
Wednesday. The hurricane, which pounded the Georgia coast with winds of more than 100
miles per hour and extensive flooding over the weekend, was one of
the strongest storms to hit the region in a century and interrupted
service to more than 340,000 customers.
The company has issued the following update on Hurricane Matthew
restoration efforts as of noon Tuesday.
- The company expects to restore power to nearly 100 percent
of customers who can accept power in Brunswick, Jesup, St. Simons and Jekyll Islands
today. The company completed restoration efforts to nearly
all customers who could accept power in Statesboro Monday night.
- Savannah was one of the areas
hardest hit by Hurricane Matthew. Georgia Power has restored power
to approximately 60 percent of Savannah-area customers who can accept
power, with approximately 56,000 customers remaining to be
restored.
- Georgia Power was prepared to respond to damage caused by
Hurricane Matthew with approximately 5,000 personnel from
Georgia Power and assisting utilities working around the clock
over the weekend.
- Power has been restored to more than 265,000 customers;
approximately 70,000 customers are without power in
Coastal Georgia.
- Damage and power outages remains concentrated in Coastal
Georgia, including Chatham,
Glynn, Effingham, Bulloch and Liberty Counties.
"With the evacuation order lifted, we continue working closely
with the state and local law enforcement to expedite our travel in
the area. We encourage people to limit driving on local roads as
much as possible to allow our crews to move from site to site as
quickly and safely as possible," said Aaron
Strickland, Georgia Power Emergency Operations Director.
"Our crews continue to report very hazardous conditions, including
fallen trees and sustained flooding, and we ask residents to keep
safety in mind as they begin returning to the area."
Georgia Power estimates that damage from Hurricane Matthew could
include:
- Approximately 1,000 power poles broken or damaged.
- Nearly 120 miles of wire (3,000 spans) needing to be
replaced.
- More than 3,500 fallen trees causing damage to
electrical equipment.
The company estimates that thousands of customers in some of the
hardest hits areas of the coast may not be able to reconnect to
Georgia Power service due to extensive damage. Property owners
should contact a qualified electrician to make repairs to private
property prior to reconnecting to service.
As part of Southern Company, as well as a national mutual
assistance network, Georgia Power is able to receive assistance
from other utilities not impacted by the storm to aid in
restoration efforts. Utilities from other states, including
Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, are currently in Georgia working alongside Georgia Power crews
to restore service for customers.
Georgia Power reminds customers that dangerous conditions exist
following a storm. Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire,
including telephone or cable wires that touch a power line. Never
pull tree limbs off power lines yourself or enter areas with
debris, downed trees or standing water as downed power lines may be
buried in wreckage. If using a generator, follow all
manufacturers' connection and safety instructions and shut the
generator down before reconnecting to Georgia Power service.
The company also offers the following tools you can use to stay
informed during restoration efforts:
- 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. The
company is also posting regular updates with localized estimated
restoration times on the Outage Map.
- 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.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest 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, 21st century 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) and Twitter
(Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower).
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SOURCE Georgia Power