ATLANTA, Oct. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power has restored power to more than 338,000 customers impacted by Hurricane Matthew – more than 99 percent of all customers impacted by the storm. 5,000 personnel from Georgia Power, as well as assisting utilities from other states, were mobilized as part of the company's restoration efforts for Hurricane Matthew and have restored power for many customers earlier than expected.    

"This was one of the strongest, most destructive hurricanes to hit the Georgia coast in more than a century and we're extremely proud of the tireless efforts of our men and women to get service restored to customers as soon as possible," said Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "We want to thank our customers for their patience, as well as crews from Georgia Power, our sister operating companies and other assisting utilities, who have worked around the clock to restore power for hundreds of thousands of Coastal Georgia residents ahead of schedule."

The path of the storm and the prevalence of large trees caused the most damage in and around Savannah. Less than 4,000 customers remain without power including those in some of the coastal areas with the most severe damage such as Burnside, Dutch Island, Isle of Hope, White Bluff, Windsor Forest, and surrounding communities. Thousands of personnel will remain in the field until power to these customers is restored.  The company is also posting regular updates with localized estimated restoration times for these areas on the Outage Map at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm.     

Georgia Power estimates that damage from Hurricane Matthew could include:

• Approximately 1,000 power poles broken or damaged.
• Nearly 120 miles of wire (3,000 spans) needing to be replaced.
• More than 3,500 fallen trees causing damage to electrical equipment.

Customers in some of the hardest hits areas of the coast may not be able to reconnect to Georgia Power service due to extensive damage. Property owners should contact a qualified electrician to make repairs to private property prior to reconnecting to service.

Georgia Power reminds customers that dangerous conditions exist following a storm. Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire, including telephone or cable wires that touch a power line. Never pull tree limbs off power lines yourself or enter areas with debris, downed trees or standing water as downed power lines may be buried in wreckage. If using a generator, follow all manufacturers' connection and safety instructions and shut the generator down before reconnecting to Georgia Power service.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, 21st century coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower) and Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower).

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SOURCE Georgia Power