South Carolina Grapples with over a Million Power Outages as Hurricane Helene Hits
By Marsharia Adams
Sat, 28 Sep 2024 08:30:35 GMT: Hurricane Helene has left more than a million residents in South Carolina without power. The electricity outage, one of the most wide-ranging in the state’s history, has triggered urgent discussions among the state’s top energy leaders, as well as Governor Henry McMaster.
State’s Power Infrastructure in Focus
Despite the massive blackout affecting residents, state officials, while meeting at the emergency management headquarters, expressed optimism, citing that the state’s power infrastructure is in a stronger state than in previous storms. They were determined to make concerted efforts to restore power, acknowledging that the process might take until the middle of the next week.
Keller Kissam, President of Dominion Energy, underscored the gravity of the situation, indicating that nearly 300,000 of their customers were experiencing outages. Kissam stated, “Life is not going to be back to normal till about the middle of next week from a power standpoint.” The Hurricane’s unpredictable shift in course towards Augusta from the initial projection of Atlanta had intensified the damage.
Historic Damage to Power Systems
Duke Energy, too, has been severely afflicted. Mike Callahan, President of Duke Energy, elaborated on the “significant and perhaps historic damage” to their systems, particularly in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson. Callahan reported that over 633,000 customers were left with no power as of noon today.
The storm-inflicted damages have not spared traffic lights either, compelling law enforcements to manage busy junctions manually. Major businesses, including a Walmart on Garner’s Ferry Road in Columbia, had to suspend their operations due to power outages.
“We have already begun restorations and gotten ahead of 77,000 customers restored as the system allows us to do so“, reassured Callahan. However, he warned that several residents may have to endure the blackout for several more days as the repair and assessment of damage continue.
Restoration and Safety Measures
Dominion Energy and Duke Energy have called upon their residents to exercise maximum caution by steering clear of downed power lines and toppled trees, urging them to touch base with their energy provider for updates and assistance.
As the recovery operations progress steadily, officials are hopeful of achieving complete power restoration by the middle of next week. Nonetheless, they appeal for continued patience and cooperation from the residents during these challenging times.
Stay connected for updates on the restoration process in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.