Alabama Power crews assist Texas with storm restoration

Alabama Power crews work in Dallas to restore power after a windstorm moved through Texas. (Tim McCarthy)
Nearly 500 Alabama Power and contractor crews from the state are on the way home from Texas after helping restore power to thousands of homes and businesses.
Oncor, which provides power to the Dallas area, asked for assistance after a strong windstorm passed through the state Sunday, leaving nearly 300,000 customers without power.
Alabama was one of 11 states sending crews to assist with power restoration. Alabama Power sent 390 personnel along with an additional 100 line contractors to help with the effort.
Alabama Power crews arrived in the area Tuesday morning and were given the task of restoring two substations along with the lines feeding those substations. They completed the work Wednesday afternoon and were released by Oncor to return home Thursday.
All Alabama personnel are expected to be home Friday.
Dallas resident Tim McCarthy was so thankful, he shared some of his grilled meats with what he hailed on Facebook as the “Alabama Calvary.”
“These guys left the Black Belt of Alabama and their families so my oil diffusers will work tomorrow,” McCarthy wrote on Facebook. “Thank you, Alabama Power!!”
Other Dallas area residents took to social media to praise the quick work done by the Alabama Power crews.