Appalachian Power storm response update
Appalachian Power Storm Response Update
Saturday, October 1, 2022, 11:30 a.m.
Situation
As expected, heavy rain and gusty winds from the remnants of Hurricane Ian caused damage in parts of Appalachian Power’s Virginia service area late Friday night, which left more than 29,000 customers without electric service.
Outages
Most outages are in the company’s Virginia service territory in areas east of Interstate 77. Counties most affected include Patrick (3,700 customers), Carroll (3,494), Bedford (2,659), Henry (2,248) and Botetourt (2,132).
Weather
The National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va., expects the continuing rain could lead to flash flooding of streams and creeks, which could lead to additional outages or create difficulty accessing damaged areas.
Storm Response Efforts
Appalachian is implementing its plan to move crews from unaffected areas into areas where damage and outages occurred. Damage assessors and line workers from West Virginia are traveling to assist local crews with service restoration.
Restoration estimates will be made available when the extent of damage is more completely assessed.
The company’s priority is ensuring the safety and reliability of service for Appalachian Power customers. Decisions on sending crews to assist with restoration in hurricane-damaged states will be made once the service restoration effort is complete.
Hydro Generation
Appalachian Power’s hydroelectric facilities followed their plan to lower levels below normal operating range at the Claytor, Smith Mountain and Leesville reservoirs in advance of expected heavy rain and potential flooding.
At this time, lake residents and recreational users at both facilities are advised to remove and/or secure items within the Project boundaries.
Appalachian Power will continue to monitor the weather forecast and make adjustments as necessary. Updates on the company’s operations will be posted on the Claytor and Smith Mountain Facebook pages throughout the storm.
Current water levels are available at https://www.aep.com/Recreation/Hydro .
Safety Message
Storms that produce heavy wind and rain cause damage that downs power lines. Customers should treat all downed lines as live power lines and stay away from them.
Keep children and pets away from fallen lines and anything the lines may touch.
Never remove debris that’s within 10 feet of a power line.
Additional safety tips are posted at https://www.appalachianpower.com/safety/
Report an Outage
Visit Appalachian Power.com to report an outage online anytime.
For More Information
For information on a specific outage, check Appalachian Power’s Outage Map