Blue Ridge Electric Linemen Making Progress; Power Restoration Efforts Expected to Extend into the Weekend
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 p.m., September 17, 2004) – Power restoration progress is being made for members of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation who lost power today but efforts are expected to extend into the weekend.
As of 4 p.m. Friday, outage reports stood at 8,798 members without power across the Blue Ridge Electric service territory. That is down from a high of over 14,000 earlier in the day. This afternoon, Watauga district was reporting 4,683 members without power; in Ashe district, 3,292 members were experiencing power outages; in Alleghany, 689; and in Caldwell, 134.
Flooding is hampering progress, as well as numerous downed power lines and trees on lines due to high winds.
Members with power outages who are dependent upon electricity for life support or oxygen should seek alternative boarding.
Members experiencing an outage who have not reported it should call the cooperative’s Powerline at 1-800-448-2383 as soon as possible. Using Powerline is highly recommended—it is the fastest way to report an outage.
