Company making final preparations Thursday; encourages customers to prepare for extensive damage and potential for extended power outages
Published 09-30-24
Submitted by Southern Company
ATLANTA, September 30, 2024 /CSRwire/ - As Hurricane Helene approaches the coast of Florida, Georgia Power is making its final preparations to respond to anticipated widespread damage and potential for extended power outages across the state. As the majority of the state of Georgia prepares to feel impacts from the storm, the company has aligned the right resources – more than 10,000 personnel on the ground currently – and continues to refine plans as the storm gets closer to ensure a safe and effective response. The National Hurricane Center forecasts high winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and possible tornadoes as Hurricane Helene enters the state. This follows the "storm before the storm" – including heavy rains over the last 24 hours which has already caused flooding and weakened trees.
"Helene is a very large storm, moving into South Georgia with very little time to substantially weaken, and we expect the high winds and heavy rain to cause significant damage in many of our communities," said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "Our teams are well trained and experienced, and we've been watching this storm and making every preparation throughout the week. As conditions are safe, our teams will be in the field working to restore power as quickly as possible. Even so, we encourage customers to keep safety first in the coming days and prepare for the potential of power outages that could last multiple days due to the size and extensive reach of this storm."
Support from Across the Industry
As part of its preparations, Georgia Power has mobilized additional staff – including from sister company Mississippi Power – to respond to Hurricane Helene. Mobilized crews across the state have pre-positioned restoration workers, equipment, and supplies near areas of anticipated impact including extra transformers, poles, cable and other equipment. All of this helps the company to restore power more quickly and efficiently for its customers as soon as weather conditions allow.
Georgia Power is also a member of a nationwide mutual assistance network, which consists of hundreds of utilities from around the country. Georgia Power has proactively mobilized crews from over 35 companies from 11 states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. These crews will deploy from strategic locations across the state to begin restoring power as soon as it is safe to do so following the storm.
Focused on Reliability Every Day
Georgia Power is always focused on improving reliability and adding resiliency to the power grid. In recent years, Georgia Power invested heavily in infrastructure improvements to bolster resiliency through equipment upgrades as well as the strategic implementation of Smart Grid technology that enhance the company's real-time ability to identify and quickly isolate outages that occur, as well as reroute power remotely around damage. This technology helps minimize the number of customers affected even before crews begin repair work in the field.
Tools You Can Use to Stay Connected & Informed
Customers are asked to be aware that hurricanes have the potential to cause widespread power outages and dangerous conditions. Emergency plans should be finalized, including a way to stay informed before, during, and after the hurricane. It's important to follow the advice of federal, state and local authorities, especially for people living in low-lying areas as flooding and heavy rain are expected.
Before, During and After a Storm Safety Tips
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.7 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
SOURCE Georgia Power
For further information: Georgia Power Media Relations, (404) 506-7676, (800) 282-1696, www.georgiapower.com
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy distribution company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have earned the company national awards and recognition from numerous organizations, including Forbes, The Military Times, DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, J.D. Power, Fortune, Human Rights Campaign and more. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.
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