Alabama Power crews work diligently to restore service to customers affected by Hurricane Zeta
Alabama Power crews have worked into the night to restore power to the hundreds of thousands across the state affected by Hurricane Zeta. (Alabama NewsCenter staff)
After making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane Wednesday, Hurricane Zeta moved across the South, causing substantial power outages for customers in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas, before moving up the East Coast.
Alabama Power reported that about one-third of its customers lost service due to the tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rain that left significant, widespread damage across the state.
Alabama Power crews working around the clock to restore widespread outages from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
The company said its power outages peaked at 504,000 early Thursday morning. Storm team evaluators, line crews and support personnel worked throughout the day and into the night Thursday assessing damage and repairing wires and poles damaged by the storm.
As of 6 a.m. Friday, service has been restored to 261,000 customers, while 243,000 remain without power. Some areas remain inaccessible, with power restoration efforts expected to take several days.
Customers are advised to stay away from downed power lines, as well as fallen trees and tree limbs that could be hiding downed lines. Always assume a downed line is still energized and poses a potentially deadly hazard. If you spot a downed line, call Alabama Power at 1-800-888-2726 or local law enforcement and wait for trained crews to perform the potentially dangerous work of removing the line or any debris.
To report a power outage, go to AlabamaPower.com or download the Alabama Power mobile app. Customers also can call 1-800-888-2726 to report an outage. Updates on restoration efforts are being posted on Alabama Power social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter.
Zeta is the latest severe storm in this year’s record-breaking hurricane season. With more storms possible before the season ends later this fall, Alabama Power customers should remain vigilant and have their storm-readiness plans in place. Learn more about how to prepare by visiting Alabama Power’s Storm Center.
