Alabama cooperatives continue to help in North Carolina

Sept. 18, 2018 – Crews from eight of Alabama’s 22 rural electric cooperatives are continuing to help restore power alongside their fellow cooperatives in North Carolina.

Some Alabama cooperatives have been released from work and have returned home or are on their way back as power continues to be restored, while others remain in North Carolina as they continue to work outages in the wake of Hurricane Florence.

Crews from Black Warrior EMC, Pea River Electric Cooperative, Tombigbee Electric Cooperative and Wiregrass Electric Cooperative are working with crews from Lumbee River EMC, based in Red Springs, NC. Crews from Central Alabama Electric Cooperative and Cherokee Electric Cooperative are helping restore power for Carteret Craven EMC, based in Newport, NC. Crews from Cullman Electric Cooperative are assisting Brunswick EMC, based in Supply, NC., and Pioneer Electric Cooperative crews are working with Tri-County EMC, based in Dudley, NC.

The crews expect to spend most of this week helping to restore power.

Helping fellow cooperatives is nothing new for Alabama, which has sent crews to neighboring states of Florida, Georgia and elsewhere in the aftermath of major power outages.

“Alabama’s cooperatives are always willing to help our fellow cooperatives when there is a need,” said Fred Braswell, president and CEO of the Alabama Rural Electric Association, which represents Alabama’s 22 electric cooperatives.

Alabama’s 22 rural electric cooperatives deliver power to more than 1 million people, or a quarter of the state’s population, and they maintain more than 71,000 miles of power line.

Contact: Lenore Vickrey, 334-215-2732, ext. 205

lvickrey@areapower.com

@ALRuralElectric