Tennessee lineworkers head to South Carolina to restore power

More than 40 volunteers from five electric cooperatives to participate in power restoration effort following massive winter storm

NASHVILLE – Forty-one electric cooperative lineworkers from Tennessee are heading to South Carolina to help restore power to those affected by a powerful winter storm. Some crews are already en route and others will depart early Thursday morning.

“Tennessee crews and equipment are on the way to help South Carolina recover from this historic storm,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We are proud of these volunteers who are leaving their families to help others in need. This will be hard, dangerous work in difficult conditions.”

More than 50 additional lineworkers are on standby to leave Thursday afternoon should the need arise.

Electric cooperatives across the Southeast began planning earlier this week, and details have been adjusted as the exact path of the storm and the extent of the damage became more certain. Electric cooperatives utilize a common safety and construction standards that allow crews to safely and efficiently assist other systems.

Crews will be assisting Santee Electric Cooperative in Kingstree, S.C., approximately 30 miles west of Myrtle Beach.

Assisting in the recovery will be:

• four lineworkers from Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Somerville
• eight from Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Clarksville
• nine from Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Shelbyville
• 10 from Plateau Electric Cooperative, Oneida
• 10 from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, South Pittsburg

“One day we will need help,” says Callis, “and when that tornado or ice storm arrives, we know that this assistance will be repaid. Cooperation is one of the founding principles of electric cooperatives. It is what makes us different from other utilities.”

The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade group representing the interests of 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million members they serve across rural and suburban Tennessee.

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Contact:
Trent Scott | [email protected] | 731.608.1519

Media Advisory:
Crews from across the state will be departing Thursday morning. Please contact Trent Scott with the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association if your media outlet would like to schedule an interview or video or photo opportunity.

Download photo: http://tnelectric.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CEC-Pax.jpg

Cutline: Lineworkers from Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Somerville, Tenn., will leave for Kingstree, S.C., on Thursday morning to assist with electric power restoration following an historic winter storm. From left: Chris Huff, Chris Whittemore, Brett Bartholomew, and Hebert Green.