As we have worked through the night, our crews continue to respond to multiple outages across the system. Due to the number of outages and the widespread nature of the damage, we are preparing for what is expected to be a multi-day restoration event.
Wet snow has set in, and winds remain constant and gust on occasions, but the worst of the storm is beginning to wind down. While wind and temps remove snow there are chance of on-going outages during the restoration period over the next few days. Now begins the challenging process of getting the lights back on across our communities. Our crews and servicemen are currently in the field identifying downed trees, damaged equipment, and broken lines. That information is being relayed to our system operators to help prioritize restoration efforts.
Throughout today and into tomorrow, our team of line workers, contract utility crews, and tree-trimming crews will be working as safely and quickly as possible to restore power.
At this time, approximately 6,600 homes remain without service, and full restoration will take time. We have coordinated additional resources, and additional mutual aid crews from Virginia will be arriving later today to assist. This extra support will help us address critical circuits and work more efficiently as conditions allow.
We have coordinated with Accomack County to open two warming shelters at Nandua and Arcadia high schools. The shelters will be open today at 4 p.m. and remain open until 11 a.m. tomorrow, Feb. 24th. Entrances to both shelters will be on the South side of the buildings near the gymnasium. If you are in need of warmth or need to utilize electricity, please use the facilities.
Throughout the day, you may see outage numbers fluctuate. The wet, heavy snow continues to impact lines and equipment, and as we restore major circuits and larger segments of load, new outages may occur due to the ongoing weather conditions.
Current forecasts indicate temperatures will remain very low through Wednesday, and we expect freezing slush and icy roadways to create additional safety and access challenges for our crews. Despite these difficult conditions, our teams are maintaining a strong sense of urgency while emphasizing safe operations in all restoration work.
By this afternoon, we plan to share more detailed updates on our Facebook page and website, including information on which areas may see power restored today. Our immediate focus remains on repairs that will restore service to the largest number of members first, then moving to smaller, isolated outages.
We appreciate your patience, understanding, and support as our crews work tirelessly to restore power. Please stay safe and know that we’re doing everything possible to get the lights back on for all members.