Alabama Power crews returning to state; damage from Winter Storm Stella less than predicted
Alabama Power crews were ready to provide assistance, but it wasn't needed as Winter Storm Stella's impact was not as widespread as predicted. (Michael Tomberlin / Alabama NewsCenter)
Alabama Power crews are coming home after Winter Storm Stella didn’t cause the damage in coastal New York that some had feared.
About 350 Alabama line crews and support personnel spent Tuesday night in Virginia, while the company made sure no other utilities needed Alabama Power’s help. The crews are expected to arrive home sometime Thursday.
Alabama Power crews were headed to Long Island, N.Y., where forecasters originally predicted more than a foot of snow. Instead, snow totals on the island were less than 5 inches, along with rain, sleet and high winds.
Many areas of the Northeast farther inland were pummeled by the white stuff, with some areas of upstate New York receiving more than three feet snow. Five deaths have been reported in connection with Stella, mainly from traffic accidents. Power outages at the peak totaled more than 200,000. More than 6,000 flights were grounded by the stormy weather.
Under the mutual assistance agreements the company has with other utilities, all costs the company has borne in mobilizing crews will be paid by the utilities that requested the assistance.
