Alabama cooperatives sending help to North Carolina
Sept. 14, 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 150 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, Southern Pine Electric Cooperative and Cullman Electric Cooperative left Thursday for North Carolina. Crews from Black Warrior Electric Membership Cooperative and Cherokee Electric Cooperative left today. The remaining crews likely will head out over the weekend or Monday.
Personnel from the Alabama Rural Electric Association are keeping in close touch with their counterparts in North Carolina so plans can be made to shift crews from one area to another, as the need arises. The crews can expect to spend a week to 10 days helping 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
@ALRuralElectric