Kentucky Electric Cooperatives says they’ve sent the most mutual aid crews out of state in the organization’s history to help with power restoration efforts following Hurricane Helene.
Nearly 200 Kentucky co-op employees are currently working to restore power in the Carolinas and Georgia. Other contract crews that normally work at the co-ops have also been sent to help.
“It's not just a matter of stringing back up the wires or even rebuilding and setting new utility poles that have been broken, but in some of these areas, things have just been washed away,” KEC spokesperson Joe Arnold said.
It also comes after 100,000 co-op customers in Kentucky lost power because of Helene. Arnold says each local co-op makes their own decision on whether to send crews.
“Everyone does what they can after they assess what their own local needs are, but they always guarantee that there are ample crews locally before they decide to send someone out of state,” Arnold said.
Arnold says there are no plans to send crews to Florida for the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, but co-ops are on standby if a request from Florida is made.
** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation.
