ATLANTA, Jan. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric service to
over 112,000 Georgia Power customers has been restored following
the storm that brought heavy wind and rain through Georgia Saturday night. As of 11:30 a.m. Sunday, approximately 11,000 customers
are without power with a majority of the outages concentrated to
the Rome, Cartersville, and
Carrollton areas. While the
company continues to work as quickly and safely as possible,
customers in the hardest hit areas should plan ahead for outages
that last into Sunday evening, due to the accessibility to damage
from the storm and difficult terrain. Crews continue to clear
pathways that will enable restoration efforts to continue
throughout the day.
While repair work continues, damage assessment following
widespread impacts from this storm is still in progress throughout
Georgia and must be completed as
an essential step to efficiently and effectively allocate
resources. Additional challenges faced following the storm include
downed trees and blocked roads that must be cleared.
Restoration progress since the beginning of the storm has been
largely possible thanks to Georgia's advanced electric grid, which allows
the company to reroute and restore power even when weather
conditions prevent work in the field, as well as early work of
crews. All of Georgia Power's teams are in the field today working
to assess damage and restore power, including an additional 400
contract personnel.
Damage Update – As of 11:30 a.m.
Sunday
- Power has been restored to over 112,000 Georgia Power
customers across the state.
- There are approximately 11,000 Georgia Power customers
currently without power.
- Approximately 420 cases of individual damage or trouble
(including broken poles and lines) the company is working to
repair.
- The majority of remaining outages are concentrated in the
Rome, Cartersville, and
Carrollton areas. Customers
who are able to receive electric service in these heavily impacted
areas can expect service to be restored by midnight tonight.
The company encourages customers to keep safety first following
severe weather with the following tips:
- Watch for downed wires. Downed power lines may be hidden
by 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.
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 2.6 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).
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SOURCE Georgia Power