Alabama cooperatives sending help to North Carolina
Sept. 13, 2018 – Crews from 17 of Alabama’s 22 rural electric cooperatives are prepared to help their fellow cooperatives in North Carolina, expected to feel the full force of Hurricane Florence by Friday.
The cooperatives have pledged to send a total of 152 men to help in power restoration to areas expected to lose electrical power in the wake of the hurricane. Crews from Central Alabama Electric Cooperative and Southern Pine Electric Cooperative left today for North Carolina. The remaining crews will leave Friday morning, with others following on Saturday and Sunday.
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