While electric cooperative crews have worked long, grueling hours clearing trees, dragging brush, setting poles and stringing lines to restore electricity to communities ravaged by Hurricane Ida, full restoration could still be weeks away in parts of Louisiana.

“Washington-St. Tammany Electric anticipates having everyone who can accept power fully restored within three weeks,” wrote officials from the Mandeville-based co-op in a weekend social media post.

WSTE has 650 broken poles and miles of downed conductor to replace, but with the help of hundreds of co-op mutual aid crews and contractors, the co-op has restored power to all but about 8,000 of its 52,000 meters.

“Lines with the largest number of members requiring the least amount of time will be restored first,” the co-op advised members. All seven transmission delivery points and 33 substations on its system are now energized, and distribution points are now the focus of restoration work.

“We must go from the source outward to the end,” said WSTE General Manager Charles Hill, comparing the systematic approach standard for power restoration to the design of a coin purse, wider at the bottom than at the drawstring securing the top.

“Groups will be energized before individuals,” wrote Hill, adding that crews will be shifted to other areas in need of help once work is completed, and service crews will ultimately be deployed to restore individual connections and smaller groups.

Off-road rights of way, cutting through muddy forested areas and marshland, continue to present challenges for crews working to restore power across south Louisiana.

With the help of 800 line technicians, vegetation management and support personnel, Dixie Electric Membership Corp. is battling back from near total system failure and now has 75% of its meters back in service.

“Transmission and distribution infrastructure were severely damaged or obliterated,” co-op officials wrote Monday. The Greenwell Springs-based co-op has 29,000 members still without power and is offering projections of a few days to up to four weeks for various parts of its service territory, contingent upon damage, accessibility and whether homes can safely receive power.

“Restoration estimates are based on knowledge we have at this time,” officials cautioned. “Unforeseen challenges are always possible and may alter these predictions.”

Where possible, the co-op is now rerouting power from other points to help get members back online. Up to 400 of its damaged poles still need to be replaced.

Electric co-ops serving the region receive their power from transmission systems operated by other utilities actively working to rebuild structural steel towers toppled by the Category 4 storm’s 150 mph-plus winds. The transmission providers continue to beef up their restoration efforts, and with most damage assessments completed, transmission repairs are expected to be wrapped up by midweek.

“Without transmission we will not be able to energize any lines, this is out of SLECA’s control,” said Joe Ticheli, general manager of Houma-based South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association. “We continue to ask for your patience during this long ordeal.”

But with 1,100 contract and mutual aid co-op personnel on the ground across its service territory, SLECA’s largest-ever restoration effort is in full swing.

“Crews are setting poles, stringing wire, removing debris and rebuilding SLECA’s electric infrastructure that took over 83 years to build, across two parishes,” Ticheli said. “Even with the progress being made and the army of ‘boots on the ground,’ it will be a long process.”

More than 19,000 of SLECA’s 21,000 meters were out in the hours after the storm. Some of the most challenging restoration work is still ahead, with more than 17,000 meters still out, over 1,000 broken distribution poles being replaced and tracked vehicles being used in off-road areas.

The Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives continues to coordinate mutual aid crews and is working to address fuel, lodging and logistics issues for visiting crews and contractors.

“Preparations are gearing up to fill a second round of mutual aid requests aimed at replacing out-of- state crews initially committed to assignments lasting up to two weeks,” said Addie Armato, acting CEO of the statewide association. “We are also working with our mutual aid partners to help locate and source materials that are hard to find.”

While most co-ops in Mississippi completed restoration work last week, Summit-based Magnolia Electric Power Association was still finishing repairs Tuesday, though outages were down to less than 200 of its 35,200 meters. Restoration is expected to formally conclude Wednesday, but local crews could spend weeks collecting broken poles and other debris and making permanent repairs to co-op infrastructure.

Derrill Holly is a staff writer for NRECA.

Kentucky weather can be unpredictable. Many think the danger is over after the storm passes, but the most dangerous time can be during the storm recovery period.  

Keep your distance from downed power lines and know what to do if you see one. 

If you see a downed power line, which could be making contact with tree limbs, vehicles and puddles, always stay clear at least 40 feet as the ground around the line may be energized up to 35 feet. Avoid walking in water after a storm.

Assume that all downed lines are live power lines and never attempt to move a line or anything else touching it. There is no way of knowing whether or not the power line is still live. Large overhead power lines can carry more than 700,000 volts of electricity. Fatalities can occur when someone comes in contact with a live wire of only a couple hundred volts.

If a power line has made contact

If someone has made contact with a power line, do not try to rescue the person. You can’t help if you become a victim. Immediately call 911 for assistance, and contact your local electric utility to turn off the power.  

If your vehicle comes in contact with a downed power line, stay inside. Call 911 or honk your horn for help, but tell everyone to stay away from the vehicle. 

If you must exit the vehicle for safety reasons, jump clear of the vehicle. Do not let any part of your body or clothing touch the vehicle and ground at the same time. Land with your feet together and shuffle away (in small steps or a bunny hop, making sure to keep your feet together) to avoid electric shock. Keep moving away until you are at least 40 feet from the vehicle. 

Downed lines on your property 

If you have a downed power line on your property, do not go near it; assume it is energized and dangerous. Contact your local electric cooperative with specific information on the location of the downed line. Wait until after the co-op crew or emergency officials have confirmed it is safe to clear the debris. 

For power restoration, make sure the co-op has your current contact information on file. 

We know firsthand how dangerous electricity is because Kentucky’s electric cooperatives work with it all day, every day. It is no accident that safety is our top priority.

When schoolchildren learn about electricity, the lesson often focuses on how energy is generated, showing the transformers and wires that ultimately connect power to their homes and schools. It can be easy to overlook one of the most vital components of safe electric service: the utility pole.

Electric utility poles are most everywhere people live and work, so it may seem like they are natural growths, like trees that miraculously sprouted at just the right distance and height for Kentucky’s electric cooperatives to string 100,000 miles of power lines. In reality, co-ops built their pole system and they regularly inspect, maintain and, when necessary, replace poles to keep electric service safe and reliable.

Because co-ops operate in areas with terrain and distances that can be difficult to serve, they proactively manage vegetation and change poles under optimal conditions rather than waiting for a natural disaster. These electric service maintenance costs are built into each co-op consumer-member’s bill.

Pole attachments

The electric utility pole network also is used by cable, telephone and broadband companies, relieving them of the burden of having to build, maintain and expand their own systems. Before a telecommunications company can make a “pole attachment” to an electric utility pole, the co-op first must ensure that the pole is structurally sound for all intended uses and meets electric reliability and safety standards, including those that apply to adverse conditions, such as ice storms.

Given the inherent dangers of electricity, the line technicians who work on these poles are specially trained and equipped. If an electric utility pole is sufficient to provide electric service but needs to be replaced to accommodate a new pole attachment, the telecommunications company is required to pay for the “make-ready” cost. However, a recent telecommunications campaign is arguing that electric utilities should subsidize the costs of these pole attachments, ultimately impacting the rates that co-op members pay for electric service.

Rates and regulations

The rates and procedures for a telecommunications company to attach its equipment to a co-op pole are set by mutually agreed upon contracts. Attachment rates for cable TV providers are part of filed tariffs regulated by the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) and are some of the lowest in the nation. Over the past several months, the Kentucky PSC has been reviewing regulations governing pole attachments. Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, the statewide co-op association, is involved in these proceedings.

“Co-ops support discussions by the Public Service Commission about how to effectively and fairly regulate pole attachments,” says Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “Kentucky co-ops are proud of their solid infrastructure and affordable costs, and welcome communications providers, as we always have, to attach to co-op systems and serve our members.”

Electric cooperatives in Louisiana and Mississippi made dramatic progress by Tuesday in restoring power after Hurricane Delta slammed into portions of the Gulf Coast that are still recovering from Hurricane Laura.

More than 120,000 people remained without power Tuesday in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, down from more than 800,000 on Saturday. That included about 55,000 co-op consumer-members in Louisiana and Mississippi, down from a high of more than 250,000. Two east Texas co-ops affected by Delta have completed restoration.

Delta made landfall near Creole, Louisiana, about 6 p.m. Central time Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, with winds of up to 100 miles per hour. Louisiana co-ops, still repairing damage from Laura, were hit hardest by Delta as it caused fallen wires, damaged poles and severe flooding. The four Louisiana co-ops still recovering from Delta reported about 46,500 meters without power Tuesday. They had more than four times that many outages on Saturday.

“Hurricane Delta came ashore in already storm-torn southwest Louisiana and moved northeastward through the state, causing damage to all our ALEC member electric cooperatives’ systems,” said Jeff Arnold, CEO of the statewide association. “The Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives (ALEC) has once again initialized our mutual-aid network to recruit help from lineworkers from other states to assist in the recovery.”

Beauregard Electric Cooperative Inc. in Deridder and Jeff Davis Electric Co-op in Jennings both lost power to 100% of their meters, just as they did when Laura struck about six weeks ago—affecting 42,800 meters for Beauregard EC and 11,000 for Jeff Davis EC.

By Tuesday morning, Beauregard EC had restored power to 45% of its system and expected to reach 50% by the end of the day, said General Manager Kevin Turner.

“It still seems hard to believe that we have been hit with two major hurricanes in a matter of weeks,” Turner said. “Even though we are dealing with the residual effects of Delta’s rains, in terms of high water and flooded areas, I think we are making great strides in restoring our members quickly. I’m really proud of all the hard work of all of our employees.”

Jeff Davis EC was able to begin restoring power Monday after ramping up manpower from out-of-state co-op crews. The co-op now has more than 700 visiting lineworkers helping them, the same number that came in after Laura hit.

“Today we were able to reach a significant milestone restoring power once again to some consumer-members,” Jeff Davis EC General Manager Mike Heinen said in a press release Monday night. He said the co-op was able to restore nearly 1,300 meters.

“We had to send our additional line crews, from Hurricane Laura, home to keep them out of harm’s way prior to Hurricane Delta,” Heinen said. “However, they have been traveling from their home states to return and continue to help us in our restoration and reconstruction efforts. I’m incredibly grateful for all the extra help we have received.”

Jeff Davis EC and Beauregard EC, with help from other co-op crews throughout the country, were just wrapping up restoration work from Laura when Delta hit.

“Prior to Hurricane Delta making landfall, we had restored power to approximately 75% of our consumer-members,” Heinen said. “Everyone is storm battered and weary, but as soon as the winds subsided, we got back to work assessing the most recent damages. Our consumer-members and employees understand they live in a hurricane prone region, and they are resilient. They will just pick up where they left off and continue the charge.”

In a bit of good news, both Jeff Davis EC and Beauregard EC reported that their systems suffered less overall damage from Delta than from Laura. Beauregard re-energized three of its substations by Sunday and expects to re-energize the rest by Wednesday. New transmission lines and structures that Jeff Davis erected after Laura survived Delta.

“If there is a silver lining to an area getting hit with two hurricanes within a number of weeks, it is that Hurricane Delta did not inflict the same level of devastation to our distribution infrastructure,” said Turner, who expects full power to be restored at Beauregard EC within two weeks. “In Laura, miles and miles of three-phase distribution lines were destroyed. After Delta, many of those lines and poles are still standing.”

More than 100,000 members of Southwest Louisiana Electric Membership Corp. in Lafayette lost power Friday night, but that number had been reduced to 20,745 by Tuesday morning.

“Crews are continuing to work in all areas,” SLEMCO said on its website. “We have hundreds of contract crew members from several different states working side-by-side with our own crews in damage assessment, power restoration and right-of-way tree trimming. Crews are still working on feeders today and beginning to work on smaller outages in some areas, too.”

Dixie Electric Membership Corp. in Baton Rouge told its members Sunday that Delta “has been one of the worst weather events to impact the DEMCO system” since the 2016 flood in the wake of Hurricane Gustav. Early Saturday morning, there were nearly 42,000 meters without power. As of Tuesday morning, co-op crews had slashed that number to 2,092 after welcoming help from Alabama and Florida co-ops. Eight Florida co-ops have sent 55 lineworkers to assist DEMCO, said Alisia Hounshell, director of communications and statewide services at Florida Electric Cooperative Association.

“We will do everything we can to safely restore power to every meter as quickly as possible,” DEMCO CEO and General Manager Randy Pierce wrote in a message to members.

Claiborne Electric Cooperative in Homer finished restoring power Tuesday to all but of a handful of meters after initially sustaining outages to 21% of its system, or 5,000 meters.

In Mississippi, only one of the four co-ops damaged by Delta still had power outages Tuesday. Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association in Lorman reported 7,937 meters without power, or 31% of its system. On Saturday, four of the state’s co-ops had a total of 50,000 meters without power, but other Mississippi co-ops rushed in to help their hard-hit colleagues, bringing outage numbers down quickly, said Ron Stewart, senior vice president of communications at the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi.

“We have restored 50% of our system in three days,” Southwest Electric said in a press release. “We have 194 lineworkers spread out across our nine-county service area repairing damage. So far, we have found over 150 broken poles and cross-arms. That is MORE than we had after Hurricane Katrina. The damage is systemwide. Our lineworkers, the contractors and the crews from the seven sister cooperatives are working as fast as possible while keeping the safety of themselves and the public in mind.”

In Texas, Jasper-Newton Electric Cooperative in Kirbyville has restored power to all 4,700 members affected by Delta. Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative initially reported about 2,600 outages but completed its repairs over the weekend. The co-op sent crews to help Beauregard EC in Louisiana.

Erin Kelly is a staff writer at NRECA.

Crews from at least ten Kentucky co-ops gearing up to restore power

In response to a request from an electric cooperative in Louisiana, at least 70 electric co-op employees from Kentucky are joining power restoration efforts after Hurricane Delta brought even more damage to the same area devastated by Hurricane Laura in August.

Delta made landfall late Friday night as a strong Category 2 hurricane and swept through southwest Louisiana. At the peak of the storm, more than 90,000 electric co-op consumer-members across Louisiana were without electricity due to fallen wires, damaged poles, and severe flooding.

“Hurricane Delta came ashore in the already storm-torn southwest Louisiana and moved northeastward through the state, causing damage to all our ALEC member electric cooperatives’ systems,” said Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives (ALEC) CEO Jeff Arnold. “The Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives (ALEC) has once again initialized our mutual-aid network to recruit help from line workers from other states to assist in the recovery.”

The storm caused substantial damage to the infrastructure at Beauregard Electric Cooperative, where Kentucky co-op mutual aid crews are now heading. All of the co-op’s 42,648 consumer-members lost power—an event seen for only the third time in its 80-year history, including Hurricane Rita in 2005, Hurricane Laura just six weeks ago, and now Hurricane Delta.

Some of the same Kentucky co-ops that deployed crews to Hurricane Sally last month are gearing up for more hurricane relief. In September, 87 crews from twelve Kentucky electric co-ops helped restore power to a co-op in southwest Alabama.

“Our members were so supportive through Hurricane Laura, and I have confidence that we will have that support through this restoration effort as well,” said Kay Fox, vice president of marketing and member services for Beauregard Electric Cooperative. “Our crews will join forces again with other states to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.”

The top priority of each local Kentucky co-op is service to its own consumer-members.  Before committing resources to mutual aid requests, each co-op ensures it has ample crews available for all local needs, including routine maintenance and emergencies.

The list of Kentucky electric cooperatives set to deploy lineworkers includes Cumberland Valley Electric, Fleming Mason Energy, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative, Kenergy, Nolin RECC, Owen Electric, Shelby Energy, South Kentucky RECC, Warren Rural Electric and West Kentucky RECC.

Through a careful coordination of mutual aid from co-ops across the Midwest and Southeast, co-op crews are assigned to specific co-ops in need of assistance. On daily conference calls, safety teams from each state assess optimal deployments.

“Even before Delta made landfall, co-op crew members in Kentucky were already communicating that they wanted to help,” said Chris Perry, President and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “By responding to natural disasters in other states, Kentucky co-op crews gain invaluable experience to help them respond to outages here at home. We are praying for the safety of co-op crews and the people they are helping.”

In addition, United Utility Supply Cooperative is responding to Hurricane Delta needs. The Kentucky-based co-op has implemented its storm emergency plan, providing round-the-clock support to meet the material needs of co-ops.

Because the national network of transmission and distribution infrastructure owned by electric cooperatives is built to federal standards, line crews from any co-op in America can arrive on the scene ready to provide emergency support, secure in their knowledge of the system’s engineering.

Electric cooperatives along the Gulf Coast are ready to respond to potentially widespread power outages when Hurricane Sally makes landfall by Wednesday morning, bringing a deluge that could cause historic flooding.

Co-ops in Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle are expected to be hit hardest.

Sally is “likely to produce extreme life-threatening flash flooding through Wednesday along, and just inland, of the central Gulf Coast from the western Florida Panhandle to far southwestern Mississippi,” the National Hurricane Center warned Tuesday, adding that “historic flooding is possible.” The National Weather Service predicted the hurricane would dump 10 to 20 inches of rain across the region, with isolated spots receiving up to 30 inches.

Ron Stewart, senior vice president of communications at Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi, said the statewide association has been in constant contact with its member cooperatives and the co-ops are prepared to respond after Sally makes landfall. ECM has also been in contact with co-ops in other states in case outside crews are needed to help restore power.

“You never know how bad a hurricane is actually going to be until it hits, but you’ve got to be prepared,” Stewart said Tuesday. “You can’t be caught blindsided.”

For individual co-ops, getting ready for the hurricane means “making sure your vehicles are gassed up and loaded with the necessary equipment needed to restore power,” Stewart said.

“You also try to get word out to your membership to prepare for outages,” he said. “We’re definitely going to have some. And, it’s not safe to dispatch crews during the storm, so it may take some time to restore power. The vast majority of members understand that—they see what’s happening outside. But it never hurts to remind them.”

Widespread flooding could hamper crews after the hurricane has swept through, Stewart said.

“It’s hard to get crews out and about if we’ve got flooded highways and roads—even if the structures are still there.”

Some Mississippi co-op crews just recently returned home from helping Louisiana co-ops restore power after Hurricane Laura. Louisiana co-ops expect to be largely spared by Sally.

“I think the majority of our co-ops should be in the clear,” said Addie Armato, director of member engagement at the Association of Louisiana Electric Cooperatives. “It’s been a sigh of relief; it really has. Our hearts go out to our neighboring states because this is not easy.”

As they continue with post-Laura restoration efforts, Louisiana co-ops will assess whether they are able to send crews to help co-ops in neighboring states, Armato said.

In Alabama, Baldwin EMC in Summerdale activated its disaster response plan Tuesday and had closed its offices as weather conditions worsened.

“We’re currently responding to outages and will continue to do so, weather permitting,” said Mark Ingram, vice president of corporate services and public relations. “As conditions deteriorate, we’ll pull our employees from the field for their safety. As the storm passes, our crews will be ready to restore power again as safely and quickly as possible.”

The co-op has stockpiled additional supplies, including poles, transformers, wire and other essential equipment.

All 22 Alabama co-ops are keeping a close eye on Sally, said the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives, citing the National Hurricane Center’s forecast of “dangerous storm surge, hurricane-force winds and flash flooding.” Alabama co-op crews are returning home from Louisiana after helping Beauregard Electric Cooperative Inc. restore power after Laura.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey closed the state’s beaches Monday and urged coastal residents to evacuate if possible. She said Alabama is “looking at record flooding.” Sally is expected to make landfall near Mobile Bay early Wednesday and move across central and south Alabama.

In Florida, Escambia River Electric Cooperative is preparing for the potential of major damage to its system.

“Our co-op may be significantly affected by high winds and heavy rainfall if Sally continues to intensify,” said CEO Ryan Campbell. “With safety as our top priority, we have activated our emergency response plan in anticipation of the storm. This includes contact with our statewide association to coordinate the arrival of additional utility crews should they be needed.”

The co-op urged its members to remain vigilant and prepare for possible outages.

“EREC has taken all precautionary measures, and our emergency preparedness team has confirmed that all preliminary requirements for the possibility of a major hurricane have been met,” Campbell said.

Erin Kelly is a staff writer at NRECA.

In recent days, consumer-members of both South Kentucky RECC and Jackson Energy have contacted their co-op to warn about the scam attempts. Some members describe a scam where the caller claims to be with the co-op and that the member’s payments have not worked. The scammer instructs the member to get a “money packet” from a local retail store then call them back with the information.

The Kentucky Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division says it has logged 33 complaints regarding utility-related scams since March. Among those victims who reported financial losses, the total was $14,533.60 in consumer losses. Of the 33 complaints, 20 of the victims self-reported their age as 60 or older.

“While the majority of the complaints we’ve received seem to come from Kentuckians age 60 or older, it’s hard to know if scammers are targeting this age group specifically, or if they are they are simply the age group that is more likely to report,” says Elizabeth Kuhn, Communications Director with the Office of Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

In March, the Kentucky Public Service Commission issued an order that halts disconnections for non-payment and fees for late payments. The PSC cautioned that these temporary measures do not relieve customers of the obligation to ultimately pay bills in full, and co-ops have been working with their members on deferred payment plans and other assistance to ease the transition once the pandemic has passed.

Coops urge members to avoid arranging payment or divulging account or personal information, including debit or credit card information, over the phone unless you are certain you are speaking to your utility. If you are unsure, hang up and call the publicly listed number for the utility. When making online payments to your electric provider, always double-check to ensure that you are on the correct website before submitting credit card information.

Kentuckians who suspect a scamming attempt should contact their utility and the Kentucky Attorney General’s office:

Online scam reporting form: ag.ky.gov/scams
Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-888-432-9257

Below are some tips Kentuckians should follow to protect themselves:

Do not assume the name and number on your caller ID are legitimate. Caller IDs can be spoofed.
Never share your personal information, including date of birth, Social Security number or banking account information.
Never wire money to someone you don’t know.
Do not click links or call numbers in unexpected emails or texts – especially those asking for your account information.
Most utilities will NOT require their customers to purchase prepaid debit cards or money orders to avoid an immediate disconnection.
If you receive a call that sounds like it may be a scam, or if you believe the call is a scam, hang up, call the police, report the incident to your local utility, and report the call to the Attorney General’s Office.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 23, 2020) – Electric cooperatives across Kentucky are reporting a surge in scammers attempting to exploit Kentuckians amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began its spread, consumer-members in at least six electric cooperative service areas across Kentucky have reported receiving calls from someone claiming to work for the local electric co-op and threatening to disconnect service without immediate payment.

In March, the Kentucky Public Service Commission issued an order that halts disconnections for non-payment and fees for late payments. The PSC cautioned that these temporary measures do not relieve customers of the obligation to ultimately pay bills in full, and co-ops have been working with their members on deferred payment plans and other assistance to ease the transition once the pandemic has passed. 

Coops urge members to avoid arranging payment or divulging account or personal information, including debit or credit card information, over the phone unless you are certain you are speaking to your utility. If you are unsure, hang up and call the publicly listed number for the utility. When making online payments to your electric provider, always double-check to ensure that you are on the correct website before submitting credit card information.

Kentuckians who suspect a scamming attempt should contact their utility and the Kentucky Attorney General’s office:

Online scam reporting form:  ag.ky.gov/scams

Consumer Protection Hotline:  1-888-432-9257

Below are some tips Kentuckians should follow to protect themselves: 

• Do not assume the name and number on your caller ID are legitimate. Caller IDs can be spoofed.
• Never share your personal information, including date of birth, Social Security number or banking account information.
• Never wire money to someone you don’t know.
• Do not click links or call numbers in unexpected emails or texts – especially those asking for your account information.
• Most utilities will NOT require their customers to purchase prepaid debit cards or money orders to avoid an immediate disconnection. 
• If you receive a call that sounds like it may be a scam, or if you believe the call is a scam, hang up, call the police, report the incident to your local utility, and report the call to the Attorney General’s Office.

About Kentucky Electric Cooperatives:

Kentucky’s electric cooperatives serve more than 1.5 million people – about 35% of the state’s population – in 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.  The statewide association provides representation before the General Assembly, Congress, and regulatory bodies: safety training; coordination of management training; and public relations support including publication of Kentucky Living magazine.  Kentucky Electric Cooperatives is governed by a board consisting of one manager and one director from each of its 26 member systems and is headquartered in Louisville.  

(September 5) – More than 100 Kentucky electric cooperative lineworkers are now in South Carolina and North Carolina to help restore power after Hurricane Dorian. Originally assigned to sister co-ops in Georgia, the crews adjusted their deployment with the storm’s trajectory.

Though downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane, Dorian is still packing a powerful punch for the Carolinas with flooding from both the storm surge and heavy rain, high winds and tornadoes. On Thursday night, hurricane-force winds were reported in South Carolina with some damage more than 50 miles inland.

Late Thursday night, an estimated 240,000 homes in South Carolina and 46,000 homes in North Carolina were without power, according to public outage maps.

Crews from seven Kentucky cooperatives are assigned to Four County EMC, an electric cooperative in Burgaw, North Carolina.

Meanwhile, crews from five other Kentucky co-ops are assigned to sister co-ops in South Carolina: Black River EC in Sumter and Coastal EC in Waterboro.

The mutual aid response is coordinated by Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. The statewide association of Kentucky’s 26 electric co-ops participates in daily conference calls with similar co-op organizations in southeastern states to assess potential needs and pair recipient co-ops with available crews and equipment from Kentucky. In addition, Kentucky co-ops have also released dozens of construction and right-of-way contract crews to respond to Hurricane Dorian.

The top priority of each local Kentucky co-op is service to its own consumer-members. Before committing resources to mutual aid requests, each co-op ensures it has ample crews available for all local needs, including routine maintenance and emergencies.

“The Kentucky co-op crews who are on the ground in the Carolinas are making Kentucky proud,” said Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “One of our cooperative principles is ‘Cooperation among Cooperatives,’ and this mutual aid effort takes that cooperation to a whole other level. These men face very challenging conditions. We are praying for their safety and the well-being of everyone in Dorian’s path.”

“Linemen are wired to help people,” said Clarence Greene, Safety and Loss Prevention Director at Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “Mutual aid deployments also provide invaluable training opportunities so these crews will be better prepared to respond to storm damage when it happens here at home.”

Louisville-based United Utility Supply Cooperative is responding to Dorian by implementing its storm emergency plan and providing round-the-clock support to meet the material needs of affected co-ops.

Because the national network of transmission and distribution infrastructure owned by electric cooperatives has been built to federal standards, line crews from any co-op in America can arrive on the scene ready to provide emergency support, secure in their knowledge of the system’s engineering.

(September 2, 2019) – As Georgia evacuates six coastal counties ahead of Hurricane Dorian, Kentucky co-op crews are heading that way.

More than 100 lineworkers from at least 13 electric cooperatives in Kentucky are preparing to assist sister co-ops restore power after the hurricane passes. Strong winds, heavy rain and flooding are expected in coastal Georgia where Governor Brian Kemp has declared a state of emergency for 12 southeast Georgia counties.

Citing the magnitude of Dorian as an “historic” storm, Kemp warns of downed trees, power lines, debris and flooding. Storm surge is a major threat to the Georgia coastline as Dorian moves north. The National Hurricane Center predicts it could reach 4 to 7 feet by Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

The first Kentucky crews to deploy are South Kentucky RECC and Nolin RECC. Both co-ops will help restore power at Satilla REMC in Georgia. Fourteen lineworkers from South Kentucky RECC began their drive on Sunday, while 10 men left Nolin RECC on Monday morning.

The mutual aid response is coordinated by Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. The statewide association of Kentucky’s 26 electric co-ops participates in daily conference calls with similar co-op organizations in southeastern states to assess potential needs and pair recipient co-ops with available crews and equipment from Kentucky. In addition, Kentucky co-ops have also released dozens of construction and right-of-way contract crews to respond to Hurricane Dorian.

On Tuesday morning, about 25 Kentucky co-op lineworkers will deploy to Excelsior EMC in Georgia. Another 50 Kentucky co-op lineworkers will also deploy on Tuesday morning to Okefenoke REMC, where an additional 8 Kentucky linemen are set to join them on Wednesday.

The Kentucky electric cooperatives with crews assigned to Dorian recovery are Clark Energy, Cumberland Valley, Farmers RECC, Fleming Mason Energy, Jackson Energy, Kenergy, Meade County RECC, Nolin RECC, Owen Electric, Salt River Electric, Shelby Energy, South Kentucky RECC and Warren RECC. Other co-ops may also send crews, yet any other assignments are pending specific requests from affected co-ops.

Recent mutual aid deployments by Kentucky’s electric cooperatives include:

October 2018 – More than 100 Kentucky lineworkers help Hurricane Michael recovery efforts in Georgia and Virginia.

March 2018 – 81 Kentucky lineworkers helped restore power in Virginia after Winter Storm Riley.

September 2017 – 131 Kentucky co-op workers helped restore power in Georgia after Hurricane Irma.

October 2016 – The largest mutual aid deployment in Kentucky co-op history came in 2016 when 143 lineworkers responded to Hurricane Matthew.

The top priority of each local Kentucky co-op is service to its own consumer-members. Before committing resources to mutual aid requests, each co-op ensures it has ample crews available for all local needs, including routine maintenance and emergencies.

“We are so proud of these co-op crews,” said Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “These linemen have stepped up to help without even knowing exactly where they will end up. But for as unpredictable as Hurricane Dorian’s path has been, our safety team will be deliberate and careful as these crews are deployed.”

“Cooperation among cooperatives is one of our guiding principles,” said Clarence Greene, Safety and Loss Prevention Director at Kentucky Electric Cooperatives. “It’s long hours in challenging conditions, but lineworkers are wired to help people, and mutual aid deployments also provide invaluable training opportunities so these crews will be better prepared to respond to storm damage when it happens here at home.”

In addition, Louisville-based United Utility Supply Cooperative is responding to Dorian by implementing its storm emergency plan and providing round-the-clock support to meet the material needs of affected co-ops. UUS has continued to make pre-storm deliveries to cooperatives in the region and is prepared to meet their needs once storm assessments are complete. UUS has also reached out to other cooperatively owned material suppliers with assurance it stands ready to assist, if needed.

Because the national network of transmission and distribution infrastructure owned by electric cooperatives has been built to federal standards, line crews from any co-op in America can arrive on the scene ready to provide emergency support, secure in their knowledge of the system’s engineering.