Tennessee electric cooperatives send volunteers to restore power in Virginia, Maryland
NASHVILLE – As the massive Hurricane Sandy bears down on the Atlantic Seaboard, 60 lineworkers from Tennessee’s electric cooperatives are prepared to assist with power restoration once the storm subsides.
“Seven Tennessee cooperatives are sending volunteer lineworkers and equipment to assist cooperatives in Virginia and Maryland,” said David Callis, executive vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association. “We expect this storm to cause extensive power outages, and our crews are staged in the area to respond quickly once it is safe to do so.”
Emergency work plans were put into place on Friday, Oct. 26, and crews from Tennessee headed for Virginia and Maryland beginning early on Saturday, Oct. 27. This cooperation is enabled through mutual aid agreements between electric cooperatives.
Assisting Northern Neck Electric Cooperative in Warsaw, Va.:
- four lineworkers from Chickasaw Electric Cooperative, Somerville
Assisting Rappahannock Electric Cooperative in Fredericksburg, Va.:
- five lineworkers from Duck River Electric Membership Corporation, Shelbyville
- four from Fort Loudoun Electric Cooperative, Madisonville
- 12 from Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, New Tazewell
Assisting Choptank Electric Cooperative in Denton, Md.:
- eight lineworkers from Fayetteville Public Utilities, Fayetteville
Assisting A&N Electric Cooperative in Tasley, Va.:
- 10 lineworkers from Appalachian Electric Cooperative, New Market
Assisting Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative in New Castle, Va.:
- nine lineworkers from Southwest Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation, Brownsville
Assisting Community Electric Cooperative in Windsor, Va.:
- eight lineworkers from Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative, South Pittsburg
Tennessee’s Mountain Electric Cooperative, Mountain City, is expecting more than 10 inches of snow to fall in its service area as a result of the hurricane. MEC abandoned plans to assist in Virginia and are now prepared to respond in the event of snow-related outages.
The Tennessee Electric Cooperative Association is a trade association representing the interests of Tennessee’s 23 electric distribution cooperatives and the 1.1 million members they serve.
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Contact:
Trent Scott | [email protected] | 731.608.1519
Updates will be provided as additional details become available.
