Electric cooperatives in Virginia and Maryland today dispatched emergency teams of lineworkers to Alabama to help restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Sally.
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative is among several electric co-ops in Virginia and Maryland sending experienced teams to Alabama to restore power after Hurricane Sally.
Seventy lineworkers from six electric cooperatives are headed to the Gulf Coast, where they will spend several days in the service territory of Baldwin Electric Membership Corp.
Baldwin EMC had more than 78,000 members in the dark after Sally lashed the coast, destroying miles of power lines and thousands of power poles.
“We’re looking for a lot of flooding, a lot of water and a lot of wind damage. It’s going to be an obstacle,” Kyle Hadley of Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative said as he headed to Alabama. “Our No. 1 goal is to work safely, get the power restored and help people out in a time of need.”
The Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives coordinated the response. Phil Jarvis, manager of safety services for the association, said Alabama cooperatives estimated they would need at least 1,000 lineworkers to restore power.
The breakdown is as follows:
BARC Electric Cooperative, Millboro, Va.: 10 crew members
Choptank Electric Cooperative, Denton, Md.: 22 crew members
Community Electric Cooperative, Windsor, Va.: 4 crew members
Central Virginia Electric Cooperative, Arrington, Va.: 4 crew members
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative, Chase City, Va.: 14 crew members
Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, Rockingham, Va.: 16 crew members
Jarvis noted that Alabama is in particular need of right-of-way crews, and BARC Electric responded with six from its in-house, right-of-way crews, as well as four lineworkers.
“The response came together very quickly and we’re committed to help get the lights back on in these hard-hit areas,” Jarvis said.
The mutual aid is the largest from the VMD Association since Hurricane Irma in 2017.