Georgia Power restores power to 440,000+ customers following Hurricane Helene

Rhea-AI Summary

Georgia Power has restored power to over 440,000 customers following Hurricane Helene, with approximately 540,000 customers still impacted as of Saturday morning. The company has deployed 14,000+ personnel for response efforts, including support from other utilities. Crews are navigating treacherous conditions, including extensive tree damage, flooding, and road closures.

The company estimates thousands of broken power poles need replacement and many miles of downed power lines across the state. Georgia Power is utilizing drones and smart grid technologies to assess damage and expedite restoration. The company has published estimated restoration times for multiple communities and continues to update its Outage Map with new information.

Georgia Power emphasizes safety precautions for customers, including avoiding downed wires and standing water. The company offers various tools for customers to stay informed, including Outage Alerts, the Outage & Storm Center website, and the Georgia Power mobile app.

Positive

• Restored power to 440,000+ customers quickly after the storm
• Deployed 14,000+ personnel for response efforts
• Utilizing advanced technologies like drones and smart grid for efficient restoration
• Published estimated restoration times for affected communities
• Proactive preparation and mobilization of resources before the storm hit

Negative

• 540,000 customers still without power
• Extensive damage including thousands of broken power poles and miles of downed power lines
• Potential for additional outages due to saturated ground and weakened trees
• Treacherous conditions hampering restoration efforts

Insights

Utility Infrastructure Specialist

Hurricane Helene has caused significant damage to Georgia Power's infrastructure, with 540,000 customers still without power as of Saturday morning. The scale of destruction is extensive, including thousands of broken power poles and miles of downed lines. This level of damage surpasses recent major hurricanes like Michael, Irma and Zeta.

The company's response has been robust, with 14,000+ personnel engaged in restoration efforts. The use of smart grid technologies has aided in restoring power to 440,000+ customers already. However, challenging conditions persist, including flooding and road closures, which may slow down further restoration efforts.

Georgia Power's preparedness, including pre-positioning crews and equipment, along with mutual assistance from other states, demonstrates strong disaster response capabilities. The company's commitment to providing timely information through various channels, including estimated restoration times, is important for customer satisfaction during this crisis.

Financial Analyst

While the immediate impact of Hurricane Helene on Georgia Power's operations is significant, the long-term financial implications for Southern Company (NYSE: SO) are likely to be manageable. Utilities typically have regulatory mechanisms in place to recover storm-related costs, which helps mitigate the financial impact on shareholders.

The extensive damage may lead to increased capital expenditures in the short term for infrastructure repairs and upgrades. This could potentially impact cash flow and debt levels temporarily. However, these investments often result in a more resilient grid, which can be beneficial in the long run.

Investors should monitor the company's upcoming financial reports for details on storm-related costs and any regulatory filings for cost recovery. The company's ability to quickly restore power to a large number of customers (440,000+) demonstrates operational efficiency, which is viewed positively by regulators and investors alike.

~540,000 customers remain impacted Saturday morning as crews navigate treacherous conditions to repair damage; potential additional outages possible due to saturated ground and weakened trees 

ATLANTA, Sept. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power's response to Hurricane Helene continues Saturday as the company marked the start of the first full day of restoration efforts. Since the beginning of the storm, Georgia Power has restored power to 440,000+ customers through the implementation of new "smart grid" technologies and the quick work of pre-positioned teams who were ready to respond as soon as conditions were safe to do so. Unfortunately, treacherous conditions remain across the state with crews navigating extensive tree damage, persisting flooding conditions and many road closures. As of Saturday mid-morning, approximately 540,000 customers remained impacted by Hurricane Helene. The company is also managing the potential for additional power outages that could occur due to the saturated ground and weakened trees.

The company continues to utilize additional resources from outside of its system and currently has 14,000+ personnel engaged in response, including support from Alabama Power, Mississippi Power and dozens of other companies. The response force currently engaged is larger than the company's response to other major hurricanes including Michael, Irma and Zeta.

Based on ongoing damage assessment, Georgia Power estimates that there are thousands of broken power poles that must be replaced, as well as many miles of down power lines, across the state. Damage assessment is an essential initial step of efficient restoration and helps the company identify where resources are best utilized to return power to customers quickly. Damage assessment teams enter the field and begin the restoration process as soon as conditions allow. Given the inaccessibility of these areas, many teams are utilizing drones and other technology to patrol damaged lines. These damage assessment teams are then followed by repair crews.

The company appreciates the importance of accurate information for customers as they make plans for their families and is committed to publishing up to date information throughout the remainder of the restoration process. Friday afternoon, just hours after the end of the storm in Georgia, the company published estimated restoration times (ERTs) for multiple communities (read more). Additional evaluation is underway across southern, coastal and eastern Georgia, where communities experienced hurricane force winds leading to extensive damage. New ERTs will be posted to the company's Outage Map as they are available. 

Preparation, Industry Support Key to Response
Georgia Power monitored the path of Hurricane Helene for more than a week prior to the storm entering Georgia and currently has more than 14,000 personnel engaged in response. As part of its preparations, Georgia Power mobilized additional staff from across the industry to respond to Hurricane Helene. Mobilized crews across the state pre-positioned restoration workers, equipment, and supplies near areas of anticipated impact including extra transformers, poles, cable and other equipment. All this is part of advance planning and strategy to allow the company to restore power more quickly and efficiently for its customers as soon as weather conditions allow. 

Georgia Power is also a member of a nationwide mutual assistance network, which consists of hundreds of utilities from around the country. Georgia Power has proactively mobilized crews from over 35 companies from states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The company continues to acquire additional off-system resources to aid in response.

As always, the company encourages customers to keep safety first following Hurricane Helene:

• Watch for Georgia Power crews working across the state. If driving, move over one lane for utility vehicles stopped on the side of the road – it's the law in Georgia.
• Watch for downed wires. Downed power lines may be hidden by debris or fallen trees.
• Never touch any downed wire or attempt to remove tree branches from power lines – it can kill.
• Don't step in standing water or saturated ground where downed lines may be present. They could be electrified.
• Avoid chain link fences. They may be electrified by a downed line out of sight and conduct electricity over great distances.
• Never attempt repairs to electric service connections. Customers should also note that if their home, including the meter box or mast/connection point, is severely damaged by the storm repairs may need to be made by an electrician before Georgia Power can reconnect power. 

Tools You Can Use to Stay Connected & Informed

• Outage Alerts – Customers subscribed to our free Georgia Power Outage Alert service will receive personalized notifications and updates via text message. Check that your contact number is up to date to receive the latest information.
• Outage & Storm Center – Available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm, customers can visit this site to check their contact information is updated to receive Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can also report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.
• Outage Map – Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times.
• Georgia Power Mobile App – Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go.
• @GeorgiaPower on X (Twitter) – Follow @GeorgiaPower on X for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.7 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

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SOURCE Georgia Power

FAQ

How many customers has Georgia Power restored power to after Hurricane Helene?

Georgia Power has restored power to over 440,000 customers following Hurricane Helene.

How many customers are still without power due to Hurricane Helene?

As of Saturday morning, approximately 540,000 customers remained impacted by Hurricane Helene.

How many personnel has Georgia Power deployed for Hurricane Helene response?

Georgia Power has deployed over 14,000 personnel for response efforts, including support from other utilities.

What technologies is Georgia Power using to assess damage from Hurricane Helene?

Georgia Power is utilizing drones and smart grid technologies to assess damage and expedite restoration efforts.

How can customers stay informed about power restoration efforts for SO (Southern Company)?

Customers can use Georgia Power's Outage Alerts, Outage & Storm Center website, Outage Map, mobile app, and social media channels to stay informed about restoration efforts.