Alabama Power crews moving into Georgia to help with Irma restoration
Alabama Power crews have restored power to most customers who lost it as a result of Tropical Storm Irma, and many are now headed to Georgia to assist in the more extensive repairs required there. (Linda Brannon/Alabama NewsCenter)
Alabama Power employees have restored power to all customers in this state affected by Tropical Storm Irma, and restoration efforts are shifting to Georgia.
Irma moved through Alabama Monday night as high winds knocked down trees, power poles and lines, causing about 71,000 outages. Those outages were restored for all customers who could receive power.
By the end of today, Alabama Power will have more than 2,200 resources, including company line crews, support personnel, and resident contract line and tree personnel, in Georgia to help with storm restoration. The company will still have enough personnel in Alabama to respond to its own customers, according to Power Delivery Services General Manager Pam Boyd.
In Georgia, Alabama Power personnel will be working in locations around Atlanta, Macon and other areas where about 366,000 Georgia Power customers remained without power this morning. At the peak Monday, Georgia Power had more than 850,000 customers without power, representing about half of its residential customer base.
Hurricane Irma and its aftermath was a significant weather event, affecting states in the Southern Company footprint and beyond. In some cases, this will require rebuilding energy infrastructure to restore power, which creates longer restoration times. Alabama Power remains committed to working safely to support our customers and to helping others in the utility industry restore and rebuild.
Alabama Power and Georgia Power are Southern Company operating companies.
Alabama Power crews turn attention to needs of neighbors in Georgia for Irma restoration from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
