Mountain Electric Cooperative Update- Hurricane Helene Restoration Efforts -Saturday October 12, 2024
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Mountain Electric Cooperative Update- Hurricane Helene Restoration Efforts -October 12, 2024
MEC wants everyone to know, we have plenty of materials (including poles) to work with and trucks are arriving daily. We ask that you drive carefully in our work zones, so workers stay safe and do their jobs efficiently.
We are still working the same schedule of 15 hour days and are making progress. We will continue this schedule through the weekend also. We are now on day 16 of our restoration efforts.
Status for Mtn City service area:
We currently have an estimated 600 members out of power. The number of outages will continue to slowly decrease due to building new lines and broke poles that were damaged by the storm.
General Area Crews Working in Mountain City district area: Forge Creek, Neva/Butler (including Locust Gap, Gate Hollow, Big Dry Run Rd/Andy Bunton Ln., Harmon Rd. and Sugar Hollow), Doe (K & R Road area), W Holy Hill in Mountain City, Trade (Stone Mtn Rd), Poga (Stout Hill /Dye Leaf area) and Hwy 321 areas
General Area Tree Crews Working in Mountain City district area: Tree crews are working in Gate Hollow, Harmon Rd, Sage Valley Circle, Black Branch and Trade areas.
There are portions of Poga, Heaton Branch, and Walnut Mountain areas that are not accessible at this time. Roads and Electrical infrastructure have been washed out in several areas.
Status of Newland and Roan Mtn:
We currently have 2,100 members out of power in Newland and 175 members in Roan Mountain. We ask that you have patience with us. We have several side roads and taps that will need an excavator or setting poles by hand to complete the job. This takes longer to do, but we are working as quickly as we can to reach you.
If your power is on and goes back off, there are many instances we have to temporarily turn the power back off to energize surrounding lines. Also, we are experiencing some outages because of people trying to help cut trees.
General area crews are working in Newland district—Crews are working in Sugar Mountain, Banner Grande, Hickory Nut Gap, Elk River, Linville Ridge. We also have crews working on single phase taps in Linville, outer areas of Banner Elk, Crossnore and Linville Falls. Crews continue working in Old Beech Mtn area, which was destroyed. Cutting the right of way and rebuilding the lines is very time consuming.
2 additional underground crews are starting today. It will be a time-consuming process to restore some of these utilities.
General area crews are working in Roan Mtn district—Crews are working in Heaton Hill, Crabtree, Teaberry, Roan Ladder, and Roanwood. Also, crews are still working on 19E in Roan Mountain towards the NC line on all taps.
Excavators are still working in Fiddlers Branch, Ingram Branch, and the top of Tiger Creek to poles that are not accessible for trucks.
If you have a medical need (oxygen, dialysis or other medical conditions), please find a local emergency shelter. The electricity and the essential needs are being supplied at these shelters.
Please call your local office first and see if they can assist you before leaving me a message. I know there are several members without electricity still and can assure you all the MEC crews and contractors are working. These individuals have worked 15 hours (or more) daily for 16 days straight and will continue to do so.
We are getting reports that wire is being stolen in certain communities which is holding up progress. If you see someone stealing wire, please get their tag number and report it to the police.
I would also like to give a heartfelt “thank you” to all our communities in MEC service area. MEC appreciates the meals, food donations and prayers going up for us as we continue to restore power to all our members.
Rodney Metcalf, General Manager
Mountain Electric Cooperative
C: 423.727.1810
Fax: 423.727.1822
