As Hurricane Laura made landfall along the Louisiana Gulf Coast as a major hurricane bringing damaging winds and a storm surge overnight, Georgia Power crews were packing trucks and preparing to head to Baton Rouge to provide assistance to Entergy Louisiana. Approximately 100 personnel and crews left from across the state to make their way to a staging location in Baton Rouge before receiving assignments to support restoration after Hurricane Laura. An additional 300 support personnel have been cleared to aid in any additional restoration requests.

Georgia Power is able to provide assistance to other utilities through a mutual assistance network, which consists of hundreds of utilities from around the country. As part of this partnership, Georgia Power is able to respond and offer assistance, providing reinforcements when needed to restore power quickly for other utilities. The company is also able to tap into this mutual assistance network if additional resources are needed to help restore power to Georgia Power customers following a major storm. 

With each request for assistance, the company ensures that it has sufficient coverage to respond to any potential local service interruptions.

The company requested and received assistance from other utilities during several major storms that impacted Georgia Power customers previously including Hurricanes Michael and Irma. 

Storm Response Pandemic Preparations

Georgia Power teams are prepared to respond to service interruptions that might occur because of severe weather while taking proactive actions including special “distancing” and other precautions to help protect customers and employees from the spread of the virus. 

In addition, the company’s comprehensive pandemic plans help ensure readiness of the critical personnel and facilities necessary to continue providing the safe and reliable energy customers expect and deserve.  

In the field, the power restoration process includes these key steps:

• Assessing Conditions – Responding crews – or in major storms, damage assessment teams – work to identify trouble spots and the resources needed to fix them, which could involve coming onto customers’ property. Crews will employ appropriate distancing efforts and customers are asked to keep children and pets indoors and maintain safe distances from crew members as well.

• Making Repairs – Georgia Power crews focus on repairs that return power to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time. 

Ways you can help keep workers safe while they work in the field:

• If you see utility crews, please stay back a minimum of six feet – much more if they are working.

• Please, no cookies or treats for workers during this time. Give a wave or thumbs up to workers you see. They’ll understand your gratitude as they work to keep the lights on.

• Don’t touch utility trucks or equipment. Electric providers are operating under modified conditions to keep workers safe, which includes additional cleaning and sanitation of tools and equipment.