Power Restoration Work to Continue Into Tuesday

Watauga and Ashe Counties Suffer Major Damage

Lenoir, North Carolina (December 26, 2009-5:30 p.m. update) – Massive devastation from fallen trees, downed power lines and broken poles due to the Christmas Day ice storm will cause power restoration efforts to extend into Tuesday before all electricity is predicted to be back on for Watauga County, even with an additional 107 line technicians assisting crews of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation.

As of 5:30 p.m. Saturday, 11,700 members in Watauga County and 3,025 in Ashe County remain without power, according to officials with Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation. Power has been fully restored to Caldwell and Alleghany counties.

Blue Ridge Electric has also brought in bulldozers to help clear debris and fallen trees blocking roads and access to outage locations and is also working with the Department of Transportation to clear roads. To help survey damage and expedite efforts, Blue Ridge Electric is also patrolling its system by helicopter as ground crews work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

Members should be aware that some parts of Watauga and Ashe counties have been much more heavily damaged than others. Therefore, outages may be occurring in some areas that do not have apparent damage but whose electricity is provided by power lines out of an area that has received more extensive damage from fallen trees and ice.

The ice storm and falling trees also pulled down power lines. The cooperative reminds the public that downed lines can still be energized and therefore dangerous or even deadly. Stay far away from downed lines and report them by calling Blue Ridge Electric at 1-800-451-5474.

Members should report outages by calling the cooperative's automated Powerline at 1-800-448-2383. Call volume is heavy so the cooperative asks that members be patient when calling.

Blue Ridge Electric has brought in an additional 107 line technicians from neighboring cooperatives Piedmont, EnergyUnited, Union Power, Pee Dee, Lumbee River, and Central EMC, as well as crews from Pike Corporation, Carter Utility Services and Asplundh Tree Expert Company.

Members with special medical or life support needs should contact their local emergency management office for assistance if needed. Watauga County Emergency Management has opened two shelters: Valle Crucis Conference Center and Deep Gap Volunteer Fire Department.

Members can view outage updates at any time by visiting www.BlueRidgeEMC.com and clicking on the "outage map" link.

Outage updates and other information is also available on Blue Ridge Electric's Facebook page.

Blue Ridge Electric serves some 73,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Avery and Alexander counties.