Apco prepares for severe weather, potential outages through tonight

APCoCHARLESTON, W.Va., July 21, 2026 – Severe weather capable of producing isolated tornadoes and flash floods is forecast today through late tonight for parts of Appalachian Power Company’s (APCo) service territory, where damaging winds are expected to cause scattered power outages.

 

APCo’s Storm Response Team is closely monitoring the storm system and has crews packed and ready to respond in West Virginia, northeastern Tennessee and southwest Virginia.

 

“The forecasted 70 mph wind gusts will topple trees, including those outside our right-of-way, which will down power lines,” said David Robinson, APCo’s major storm incident commander. “We encourage our customers to prepare now for the possibility of an extended power outage.”

 

Robinson explained, however, APCo’s proactive vegetation management strategy routinely addresses specific high-risk areas to lessen the impact when severe weather occurs.

 

Safety tips, including those for before and after a storm, are available at AppalachianPower.com/Safety. Customers can report a power outage or safety hazard using APCo’s free mobile app or online at AppalachianPower.com/Outages.

 

About Appalachian Power

Appalachian Power Company (APCo), a subsidiary of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP), is a leading electric utility serving over 1.1 million customers across 57 counties in northeast Tennessee, southwest Virginia, southern West Virginia and parts of West Virginia’s northern panhandle. With an extensive network of 61,000 miles of power lines and an owned generating capacity of approximately 8,500 megawatts, APCo is committed to delivering safe, reliable and affordable energy. The company focuses on customer service, innovation, investing in modern infrastructure and a diverse mix of energy solutions to enhance grid reliability and efficiency. With a dedicated workforce of 1,700 employees, APCo is committed to economic development, its customers’ needs and community empowerment. For more information, visit AppalachianPower.com.