WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – Appalachian Power is intensifying efforts to restore electricity to customers following Hurricane Helene, which left more than 282,000 homes and businesses without power.
As of Monday morning, 117,500 customers remain without service.
To boost recovery, Appalachian Power has brought in additional personnel from states as far as Wisconsin, adding to the 4,000 workers already on the ground.
Line and forestry crews are concentrating on the hardest-hit areas, including Bluefield, Damascus, Grundy, and Tazewell in Virginia.
The storm caused extensive damage, with over 1,800 spans of fallen wire, 415 broken poles, and 105 damaged transformers. Despite these challenges, nearly 60% of the original outages have been restored, with 165,000 customers’ power back online.
Virginia is the most affected, with 83,650 customers still without power. Around 29,800 outages are reported in West Virginia, and 4,050 in Tennessee. Crews from Ohio, Michigan, and other states are assisting with repairs.
Restoration efforts are expected to continue into Tuesday, particularly in the hardest-hit regions. The company estimates that most customers in West Virginia will have power restored by Monday evening, while more isolated areas may take longer.
Light showers are forecast through Tuesday, but the weather is expected to be favorable for ongoing restoration efforts. Customers are encouraged to monitor outage maps and alerts for updates.
