As weather conditions deteriorated across middle Georgia on Monday, a Savannah Electric Storm Team left Savannah near mid-day, destined for Augusta, Georgia. The team was requested by Savannah Electric’s sister company, Georgia Power, in anticipation of widespread outages caused by the winter weather.

The team will receive further instructions based on damage reports once they arrive in the area. If damage is lighter than expected, the team will be redirected to utilities in the Carolinas.

The team consists of 18 Savannah Electric employees from both Savannah and Springfield Operations Centers. Their convoy comprises 13 vehicles, including line and bucket trucks and several trailers.

Crews generally pack for a 5-day stay, but the length of the trip will depend on needs and conditions in the area after the storm.

Savannah Electric has also released its contractors from Pike Electric for emergency storm response, representing an additional 21 workers.

As part of a mutual assistance agreement with other utilities, Savannah Electric responds to emergency assistance requests when its own service area is not threatened and would receive similar assistance during emergencies here. Savannah Electric most recently provided help to PEPCO in Maryland and Dominion in Virginia after Hurricane Isabel last fall. In early January, the company was recognized for those efforts with an Emergency Assistance Award from the Edison Electric Institute.

Savannah Electric and Georgia Power are both subsidiaries of Southern Company, one of the largest electricity producers in the United States.