As Hurricane Ivan barrels toward the Gulf Coast, Georgia Power crews are once again prepared to restore power to customers, should the storm hit Georgia and cause widespread outages.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast some time Thursday afternoon and move into the western parts of Georgia by Friday morning. Forecasters warn that the storm could spawn tornados and bring sustained winds as strong as 50 mph throughout the northern half of the state.

Georgia Power’s Storm Center activated Aug. 9 in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricanes Charley and Frances. It remains open and is now closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Ivan. In addition to preparing for possible outages in Georgia, Georgia Power also is coordinating its storm preparations with its sister companies – Alabama Power, Mississippi Power, Savannah Electric and Gulf Power (Florida panhandle) – to ensure that all customers in the Southern Company system get their power restored as quickly as possible.

Georgia Power will restore power to its customers first before assisting other Southern Company utilities. Besides committing thousands of its employees to storm restoration duty, Georgia Power has requested the assistance of line crews from other utilities as well as contract line crews from throughout the eastern United States.

In the event of major power outages, Georgia Power’s first priority is to restore electricity to emergency agencies, such as police, fire departments and hospitals. The next priority is to restore power to as many customers as possible with each repair.

If the weather interrupts electrical service, customers may report the outage by calling Georgia Power’s Customer Care Center at 1-888-891-0938. This line is answered by an automated system designed to handle power outage calls; however, customers also may talk directly with a customer service representative. The most efficient way for customers to report outages is to leave all information on this automated system. If you’re able to access our web site, you can also report your outage at www.georgiapower.com.

Here are some safety tips for customers to follow when severe weather hits:

• Residents who have a life-threatening medical emergency should call 911.

• Always avoid downed power lines. Any downed line should be considered energized and therefore dangerous. Report downed lines immediately to local public safety authorities and stay out of the immediate area.

• Avoid debris lying on the ground or fallen trees that may conceal downed power lines; make sure there are no downed lines before allowing children out to play.

• Steer clear of Georgia Power crew work areas. Equipment and energized lines may be in the area and could create a safety hazard.

• When driving, watch for crews working along the roadways, and obey all traffic signs and directions around work areas.

• If possible, when leaving your home and power is off, turn off the main breaker as a precaution to avoid a power surge once the power is restored.

• Don’t attempt to make repairs to Georgia Power’s electrical system or pull limbs off lines as these limbs may contain downed power lines that are still energized and dangerous. Georgia Power will cut tree limbs off power lines. However, homeowners are responsible for trees that hit houses but not power lines.

• Do not connect portable generators to your household electrical wiring. This can cause serious injury to you and Georgia Power crews working on lines in your neighborhood. Connect only essential appliances -- such as freezers and refrigerators – directly to the generator.

• Be patient. Be assured that Georgia Power crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to customers.

• Customers should use extreme caution if using candles during a power outage. Always keep candles away from flammable objects, and never leave them burning unattended.