Target: 98 percent of customers restored by end of day Friday

Alabama Power will restore service to the vast majority of customers impacted by this week’s extraordinary weather event by end of day Thursday. The hardest hit areas – such as isolated locations in the Birmingham region, which suffered extensive damage including numerous broken poles and downed power lines – may take until end of day Friday.

Monday, the Birmingham metropolitan area suffered the most damage when a slow-moving Tropical Storm Lee collided with a stationary cold front. The result was torrential rains and wind gusts as high as 55 mph across the metro area, according to the National Weather Service. More than 220,000 customers were without power Monday night. Since then, more than 1,700 additional line personnel have been brought into the affected communities from states including Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana, Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and the Carolinas. So far, power has been restored to 184,846 customers.

Crews continue work in other areas of the state as well. By midnight tonight, service should be restored to 98 percent of customers in the company’s Western and Eastern divisions.

Hazardous conditions, including downed trees and rain-swollen streams, remain a problem in some areas of metro Birmingham. Alabama Power customers should use extreme caution, and adhere to the following safety tips: 

• Stay clear of flooded areas or places 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.
 

Generator safety

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, so:

• 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 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.

If your power is out or you see a hazardous situation, such as a downed line, please call Alabama Power’s automated reporting system at 1-800-888-APCO (2726).

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