Work continues to restore power to all customers

Crews continued to make progress overnight Monday and by 8 a.m. today had restored power to 98 percent of customers affected by the devastating storms and tornadoes that hit the state April 27. The company continues to work aggressively to restore service in areas where Alabama Power facilities were hardest-hit.  

“Every single customer is important to us. We’ve made good progress, but we’re going to continue working until we bring service to everyone who can take it,” said Charles McCrary, Alabama Power president and CEO. 

In all, the storms knocked out power to more than 412,000 customers. Across Alabama Power territory, more than 5,200 poles and more than 400 transmission system structures were broken or damaged. In addition, more than 300 substations lost power and six substations were either destroyed or suffered significant damage. In many places, the electrical system has to be completely rebuilt.

McCrary said today the company has set a new target to restore power to 99.9 percent of customers by the end of the day Wednesday. “We appreciate our customers’ understanding and patience as we work to restore service,” he said. “And we will continue to work with our customers as our state recovers from this terrible tragedy.”

Statewide, 8,295 customers remained without service at 10 a.m. today. Outages by region of the state were:  

• Birmingham area (Jefferson, Shelby counties) – 4,450
• Eastern areas (including Anniston, Gadsden, Oxford) – 499
• Western areas (including Bibb, Walker, Tuscaloosa counties) – 3,346

Crews from Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin and the Carolinas have joined Alabama Power crews and support staff in the effort to restore power to all customers.
 

Notice regarding lake conditions: Boaters and other users of Alabama Power lakes are advised to use caution on company reservoirs because of the large amount of debris in the water following the storms. This week, Alabama Power crews are helping coordinate cleanups on Lake Neely Henry and Lake Martin. They will help remove man-made debris from the lakes. These efforts support emergency cleanups only. The company will continue to monitor all lakes and reservoirs for debris. Lake users can call the automated Reservoir Information System at 1-800-LAKES11 for information about lake conditions.

Safety tips

As power is restored, Alabama Power wants to emphasize the continuing importance of safety, since many areas still contain a variety of hazards. 

• If power is still out, please call Alabama Power’s automated reporting system at 1-800-888-APCO (2726). It is the fastest way to report an outage or a hazardous situation, such as a downed power line.
• Stay clear of areas with fallen trees or debris where downed lines may be hidden. Stay away from areas where repair crews are working.
• Stay away from downed lines. Do not drive over lines or under low-hanging lines. Keep children and pets away from downed lines. Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or anything else caught in power lines. Call Alabama Power at 1-800-888-APCO (2726) or contact a local law enforcement agency if downed lines are spotted.

Generator safety
 
More and more people are purchasing portable generators to keep appliances running during outages. While generators can be a convenience, they can also be deadly when used improperly.

• Read and follow carefully the manufacturer’s instructions before using a generator.
• Do not plug in portable generators to your household wiring. This can cause serious injury to you and to Alabama Power employees working on the lines in your neighborhood. Connect only essential appliances – such as freezers and refrigerators – directly to the generator. 
• To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, operate generators outdoors in a
  well-ventilated, dry area that is away from air intakes to the home, including window air conditioners. A good location is an open shed. Never use a portable generator indoors or in attached garages.

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO), provides electric service to more than 1.4 million customers across the state.