Severe storms leave 38,000 Appalachian Power customers without electricity over weekend

Severe storms leave 38,000 Appalachian Power customers without electricity over the weekend. See the full press release below: Severe storms swept through Appalachian Power’s service territory from Friday into early Saturday, resulting in power outages for a peak of 38,000 customers. Widespread damage to the company’s distribution and transmission infrastructure occurred due to heavy rain, high winds and hail that downed trees and power lines. To expedite restoration efforts, additional personnel from surrounding states arrived Friday to work alongside Appalachian Power crews, bringing the workforce to 2,800- strong. Crews began damage assessments and repairs on Friday, working overnight to prioritize critical infrastructure and areas with the highest number of outages. As of 10:30 a.m., approximately 30,000 customers remain without power, with repairs needed at nearly 650 locations across Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Outages About 11,000 customers are without electric service in Tennessee and Virginia. The counties with the most outages include Smyth (2,833); Washington (2,009); and Russell (1,649). More than 19,000 customers are without power in West Virginia. The hardest hit counties in terms of outages include Boone (4,002); Kanawha (3,355); Logan (2,845); and Lincoln (2,321). Storm Response Efforts Appalachian Power proactively prepared for outages caused by the storm
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