Crews continue to restore power to homes following Wednesday’s severe storms and devastating tornadoes across Alabama Power territory. Outages topped 412,229 customers at the peak of the storm, but service has been restored to nearly 123,000 homes. Customers should expect restoration times to exceed that of normal storm outages, and some outages could be prolonged. There has been extensive damage to our system and crews are still conducting assessments.

At 8 p.m. today, the number of customer outages statewide was 288,944. Outages by region of the state were:  

• Birmingham area (Jefferson, Shelby counties) – 138,604
• Eastern areas (including Anniston, Gadsden, Pell City) – 24,528
• Western areas (including Bibb, Walker, Tuscaloosa counties) – 120,520
• Southern areas (including Selma, Montgomery, Opelika) – 5,292

  
Alabama Power crews – with crews assisting from other states as far away as Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Michigan and Wisconsin  – continue working today to restore power. That brings the total workforce to 5,500 personnel.

Safety tips

• If power is 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.
• Turn off appliances to avoid any potential safety hazards when power is restored.
• 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.
• Stay clear of areas with fallen trees or debris where downed lines may be hidden. Stay away from areas where repair crews are working.

Generator safety tips

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 crews will work as fast as safety allows. Before neighborhood lines can be repaired, crews must first repair larger lines that bring power to the neighborhoods.

To learn more about how Alabama Power responds to storms, log on to www.alabamapower.com.  Click “About Us” and then “Storm Center.”