(LOOTPRESS) – Last night severe thunderstorms with high winds and heavy rain again rolled across Appalachian Power’s service area. It is the third damaging storm system to strike the company’s service area in the past 8 days. The storm left more than 28,000 customers without electric service, including 23,000 in West Virginia.
Outages
In West Virginia around 20,000 customers are currently without electric service. Counties with the most storm-related outages include Kanawha (6,500), Fayette (2,600), Raleigh (2,200), Boone (1,200), Summers (1,000) and Nicholas (1,000).
In Virginia 4,200 customers are without electric service. Counties with the most storm-related outages include Giles (1,400), Amherst (900) and Pulaski (600).
Storm Response Efforts
Line workers are making repairs on known outages that affect large numbers of customers, and damage assessors are determining resources needed to make repairs at more than 600 locations where electric infrastructure sustained storm damage.
As planned, workers across Appalachian Power reported this morning prepared and ready to respond. They are being moved from unaffected parts of the company’s service area and are traveling this morning to assist with restoration efforts in areas where outages occurred. Based on early assessment of damage additional assistance is being requested from utilities outside the company’s service area.
Restoration Estimates
Crews are assessing damage and making repairs. Once the extent of storm damage is more fully known an overall restoration estimate will be established and shared.
For the best available information on each specific outage, click the outage location on Appalachian Power’s Outage Map.
Weather
Weather appears favorable for restoration work today and Friday.
Safety Messages
Storms that produce heavy wind and rain cause damage that downs power lines. Customers should treat all downed lines as live power lines and stay away from them.
Keep children and pets away from fallen lines and anything the lines may touch.
Never remove debris that’s within 10 feet of a power line.
Additional safety tips are posted at https://www.appalachianpower.com/safety/
Report an Outage
Visit Appalachian Power.com to report an outage online anytime.
For More Information
For information on a specific outage, check Appalachian Power’s Outage Map.
Next Update: Thursday, June 23, 5:00 p.m.
