ATLANTA, Sept. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With Hurricane Dorian expected to bring heavy rains and high winds to coastal Georgia this week, Georgia Power is monitoring the changing weather around the clock, preparing to mobilize crews to respond to any service interruptions that may occur.

The company also continues to coordinate with state and local emergency partners, including the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service. Georgia Power serves more than 250,000 customers in the current hurricane and tropical storm watch areas along the Georgia coast.

Georgia Power campgrounds available for evacuees
For residents evacuating the coast from Hurricane Dorian, two Georgia Power campgrounds are open at Lake Oconee. The Lawrence Shoals Campground offers full-service campgrounds, primitive campsites, a picnic pavilion, grill and restrooms. Old Salem Campground offers primitive campsites and full-service campgrounds with laundry facilities, restrooms, ice, day-use picnic areas and a dump station. Both campgrounds are handicapped accessible. To check specific availability and to register, call 855-607-6462.

The Mutual Assistance Network
Georgia Power is part of a mutual assistance network consisting of dozens of utilities from around the country. As part of this partnership, Georgia Power line crews provide assistance to other utilities when service to their customers is interrupted due to severe weather. Georgia Power is able to tap into reinforcements when needed to restore power quickly to Georgia customers. The company also has access to resources from its sister power companies in Alabama and Mississippi.

Georgia Power reminds customers to keep safety first during severe weather and offers the following storm tips:   

• Before a Storm: Stay aware and check the weather forecast before heading outdoors. Turn off air conditioners as power surges can overload them and charge cell phones in case you lose power.
• During a Storm: Take safe shelter inside a sturdy building away from windows and doors. Avoid contact with conductors of electricity - appliances, metal objects and water.
• After a Storm: Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire, including telephone or TV wires that touch a power line. Never pull tree limbs off of power lines yourself or enter areas with debris or downed trees as downed power lines may be buried in wreckage.

Tools You Can Use

• Outage Alerts – Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message.
• Outage & Storm Center – Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.
• Outage Map – Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times.
• Georgia Power Mobile App – Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go.
• @GeorgiaPower on Twitter – Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more.
• Emergency Plan and Kit – Visit the Georgia Power storm page for information on how to build a family emergency plan and emergency supply kit.

Georgia has been impacted by hurricanes in each of the past three years:

• Hurricane Michael (2018): Hurricane Michael was the third-strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. in modern recorded history. Entering Georgia as a Category 4 storm, it brought high winds, heavy rainfall and fallen trees that caused extensive damage as it crossed through the state, especially in Southwest Georgia near Bainbridge, Albany and Tifton. Crews restored power to more than 420,000 customers in four days. The system experienced 7,800 individual cases of damage and crews repaired 2,000 broken poles and 4,800 spans of wire.
• Hurricane Irma (2017): One of the largest storms to strike Georgia in decades, every county in the state was impacted by Hurricane Irma. This strong storm brought high winds, heavy rain and flooding. Restoration crews were in every corner of the state restoring power to more than 1.6 million customers in only four and a half days. The system experienced 23,580 individual cases of damage and crews repaired 1,625 broken poles and 4,500 spans of wire.
• Hurricane Matthew (2016): This was one of the strongest, most destructive hurricanes to hit the Georgia coast in more than a century. The path of the storm and the prevalence of large trees caused the most damage in and around Savannah, with coastal areas such as Burnside, Dutch Island, Isle of Hope, White Bluff, Windsor Forest, and surrounding communities seeing the most severe damage. Crews restored power to more than 370,000 customers in six and a half days. The system experienced 7,900 individual cases of damage and crews repaired 1,000 broken poles and 2,600 spans of wire.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric 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 2.6 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, 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), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power