Blue Ridge on Alert Status
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Corporate Communications, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383 ext. 3213; Pager:1-800-471-1323; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
Lenoir, North Carolina (4:30 p.m. - February 26, 2003) –
Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation is prepared if the predicted winter storm produces significant icing on trees and power lines with possible resulting power outages.
Linemen, customer service, and all staff at Blue Ridge Electric are on alert status and prepared to respond to members as needed. Because power outages are common in significant ice storms, the cooperative has crews and equipment ready to begin restoring power as quickly as possible. Primary lines serving hundreds of customers are serviced first, then the secondary lines serving just a few customers. Medical facilities and emergency systems are given top priority.
In the event of an outage, members are encouraged to call the cooperative’s automated outage reporting and account information line, Powerline, at 1-800-448-2383. Blue Ridge Electric serves over 65,000 consumers in northwest North Carolina.
