CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – More than 5,000 Appalachian Power customers in West Virginia remained without electricity Tuesday afternoon as crews continued restoration work following multiple rounds of severe storms and flooding.
As of about 2 p.m. Tuesday, approximately 6,100 Appalachian Power customers were without service across the company’s territory. About 5,100 outages were in West Virginia, 1,000 were in Virginia and roughly 30 were in Tennessee.
Crews have restored service to thousands of customers since severe storms moved through the region late Sunday. Another round of storms Monday caused additional outages and created hazardous conditions for workers.
The hardest-hit areas in West Virginia include the eastern Kanawha Valley and the Glasgow and Crum/Kermit areas. In Virginia, significant outages remain around Abingdon, Glade Spring and Mendota.
Damage assessments have identified 66 broken utility poles, 11 broken crossarms, 140 spans of downed wire and 87 locations where trees damaged Appalachian Power facilities.
Nearly 2,000 employees and contractors are working on restoration efforts, including crews brought in from utilities as far away as Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Workers are replacing damaged equipment, clearing trees and rebuilding portions of the distribution system.
Flooding continues to complicate restoration efforts in some areas. Charleston officials declared a State of Emergency late Monday as emergency crews continued assessing damage and clearing debris.
Appalachian Power said saturated ground is also causing additional trees to fall, resulting in new outages and downed power lines. Floodwaters, debris-covered roads and other hazards have limited access to damaged equipment in some locations.
The company estimates customers who remain without service will have power restored by 11 p.m. Tuesday, although most are expected to have service restored before then.
Appalachian Power urged residents to stay away from downed power lines and anything the lines may be touching, including trees and fences. Safety hazards should be reported to 911 or Appalachian Power.
