ATLANTA, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The average
outage time for Georgia Power customers was 42% less than the
national average in 2019, according to the most recent available
data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. With severe
storm weather possible throughout the year, the company's
comprehensive storm response plans help ensure the readiness
of critical personnel and facilities necessary to continue
providing the safe and reliable energy customers expect and
deserve.
"We prepare every year knowing it will be nothing like the year
before," said Georgia Power's Storm Center Director David Maske. "Our teams know firsthand the
impacts severe weather can have on our customers, and we remain
prepared to respond whenever we are called upon."
In 2020 alone, the company responded to more than 26 severe
weather events that impacted Georgia in a record-breaking storm season,
with the most impactful storm Hurricane Zeta, which caused
significant damage to Georgia Power's distribution system leading
to over 5,700 cases of damage and impacting over 822,000 customers.
Zeta's impacts were severe and were exacerbated when a strong cold
front with gusty winds quickly followed behind the storm, less than
12 hours later. More than 4,000 Georgia Power personnel, with
assistance from out-of-state utilities, were mobilized as part of
the company's restoration effort. Throughout 2020, Georgia Power
crews responded to more than 22,650 outage events and replaced or
repaired 8,500 spans of wire equal to nearly 400 miles of power
lines.
Storm Response Pandemic Preparations
Georgia Power
teams are prepared to respond to service interruptions that
might occur because of severe weather while taking proactive
actions including special "distancing" and other precautions to
help protect customers and employees from the spread of the
virus.
In the field, the power restoration process includes these key
steps:
- Assessing Conditions – Responding crews – or in
major storms, damage assessment teams – work to identify trouble
spots and the resources needed to fix them, which could involve
coming onto customers' property. Crews will employ appropriate
distancing efforts and customers are asked to keep children and
pets indoors and maintain safe distances from crew members as
well.
- Making Repairs – Georgia Power crews focus
on repairs that return power to the greatest number of customers in
the least amount of time.
Regardless of the storm season, Georgia Power encourages
customers to keep safety first, with the following tips:
Before a Storm: Stay aware and check the weather
forecast before heading outdoors. Make plans for vulnerable family
members who might have difficulty in a power outage. Turn off large
appliances as power surges can overload them and charge cell phones
in case you lose power.
During a Storm: Take safe shelter inside a sturdy
building away from windows and doors. Avoid contact with conductors
of electricity - appliances, metal objects and water.
After a Storm: Never touch any downed or low-hanging
wire, including telephone or TV wires that touch a power line.
Never pull tree limbs off of power lines yourself or enter areas
with debris or downed trees as downed power lines may be buried in
wreckage.
For additional tools you can use to stay prepared for severe
weather, visit www.Georgiapower.com/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 2.6
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 recognized by J.D. Power 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