Appalachian Power Storm Response Update #4
Friday, September 27, 2024 – 12:15 p.m.
Situation
As expected, remnants from Hurricane Helene are currently impacting our service territory, causing several power outages throughout Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee. At 12:15 p.m., more than 219,000 customers were without power. Outage numbers could increase throughout the day as gusty winds and heavy rains pound our coverage area.
Outages & Damages
- Currently, 219,000 Appalachian Power customers in West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia are without power.
- About 128,000 of the affected customers are in Virginia. A little more than 39,000 customers are without service in West Virginia, and about 16,000 are in Tennessee.
- Crews are working to assess damages in areas where it can be done safely. Early reports show that damage is widespread, with more than 2,200 outages reported in all three states.
Storm Response Efforts
- Currently, more than 1,000 employees and contractors are dedicated to storm restoration work.
- Mutual assistance crews from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan are either in our service territory now or headed this way. Crews from Oklahoma and Texas are expected to arrive tomorrow.
- Appalachian Power planned for outages from this storm by having all employees and business partners on alert and prepared to work.
- Continued rain and gusty winds will significantly delay restoration efforts to customers.
- At this time, restoration work is expected to go into Sunday, with lesser impacted areas getting their power restored before then. Depending on the storm's impact, restoration times may extend beyond Sunday.
Weather
Heavy rain and strong, gusty winds from Hurricane Helene are expected to continue throughout the day, impacting restoration efforts and increasing outage numbers in some areas. Our crews will continue to work as quickly and safely as possible.
How Customers Can Prepare
- Plan in the event a power outage occurs. Check with those who are elderly, have young children or have medical conditions to ensure they have a plan — and don't forget your pets.
- Charge devices such as phones, laptops, portable chargers and other electronics that will help you stay connected.
- Prepare an emergency kit. At a minimum, include non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, batteries, a battery-powered radio, a first-aid kit and necessary medications.
Safety Message
- Windstorms cause damage that can bring down power lines. Customers should treat all downed lines as live power lines and stay away from them. Never touch downed power lines or sparking equipment. Keep children and pets away from fallen lines and anything the lines may touch and call 911 and Appalachian Power at 1-800-956-4237 immediately.
- Do not plug the generator into your circuit box using a portable or RV generator.
- Flooding is expected in many areas throughout our service territory. Be cautious and remember to turn around; don’t drown.
- Find additional safety tips at AppalachianPower.com/Safety.
For More Information
Customers can subscribe to Appalachian Power outage alerts to receive specific information about outages affecting their accounts via text message and/or email. To sign up, please visit Appalachian Power alerts.
A snapshot view of current outages is available anytime by visiting Appalachian Power’s Outage Map.
Next Update: Friday, September 27, 2024, 6:00 p.m.