(from ApCo) Situation Approximately 36,000 customers remain without electric service after damaging winds and bitterly cold temperatures caused power outages yesterday across Appalachian Power’s service area. Hundreds of workers from several states will arrive later today and tomorrow to join the more than 1,000-line mechanics, servicers and assessors already dedicated to the restoration effort.
In addition to weather-related outages, extremely cold temperatures across the region have created extraordinary demands on the power system, prompting Appalachian Power and other electric utilities across several states to ask customers to reduce electric use.
Outages
- Nearly 50,000 customers were without power yesterday morning. Since that time, service has been restored to roughly 14,000 customers.
- Bitter cold temperatures in some areas continue to cause delays getting power back on once repairs have been made.
- Roughly 90 percent of the customers still without service are in Virginia. Areas with more than 1,000 customers affected include Bedford County, 2,022; Botetourt County, 1,250; Campbell County, 2,125; Carroll County, 2,210; Floyd County, 1,584; Franklin County, 6,018; Lynchburg, 2,288; Montgomery County, 1,378; Patrick County, 1,014; Pulaski County, 1,600; Roanoke County, 4,827; and Roanoke City, 1,540.
Restoration Estimates: In the most heavily affected areas of Virginia, including Roanoke, Lynchburg and surrounding areas, we are still assessing damage and expect to provide restoration estimates this afternoon. In areas where we can provide restoration estimates, most customers should have service restored as follows:
Tomorrow Night: Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski and Wythe County customers in Virginia.
