Minimal Outages Affecting Blue Ridge Service Area: 4:30 a.m. Update
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
Lenoir, North Carolina (February 1, 2008) – Crews with Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation are on the scene restoring power to 100 members without power at 4:30 a.m.. Ninety-nine of the outages are in Ashe County, with only one currently in Watauga County. Scattered but minimal outages occurred over night across the cooperative’s service area, primarily the result of fallen trees on power lines resulting from icy weather.
The largest concentrated outage occurred overnight in Lenoir, where 238 members in the Patterson community were affected. Those outages were restored as of 4:30 a.m.
Members can report outages by calling their local Blue Ridge Electric office or by calling the cooperative’s automated Powerline at 1-800-448-2383. Have the account number, address, and telephone number of the affected location nearby in case it’s needed.
Members can also view a new feature on the cooperative’s web site to see if outages are occurring. By visiting www.BlueRidgeEMC.com and clicking on the Outage Mapping link in the left margin of the home page, members will be able to see a map showing current outages in specific communities and counties as well as the number of outages affecting that area and the amount of time the power has been disrupted. Members can also fine safety and outage preparation tips on the cooperative’s web site by clicking on the News tab, and then the Storm Room tab.
Blue Ridge Electric is a member-owned cooperative utility serving more than 70,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Avery, and Alexander counties. For more safety and preparation tips, visit www.BlueRidgeEMC.com.
