Greenville Residents Brace for Extended Power Outages After Hurricane Helene
As the dust settles from the fierce onslaught of Hurricane Helene, residents across the Upstate are still grappling with the aftermath, particularly in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson Counties. With over 425,000 homes and businesses lacking power as of Monday afternoon, September 30, the struggle to restore electricity is in full swing.
Understanding the Damage
The debris and destruction left by Hurricane Helene have left utility workers in a challenging situation. A staggering 6,650 distribution poles have been damaged, which creates considerable hurdles in restoring power across the region. Avery Wilks, the VP of communications for the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina (ECSC), stated that each pole may take as long as four hours to replace, leading to a “fluid” timeline for power restoration that may see some residents without electricity until Friday evening.
“We suggest people to manage their expectations, make arrangements, and to understand how devastating Hurricane Helene was to our area,” Wilks expressed. He emphasized that this storm is possibly the worst many have ever seen hitting the Upstate.
Power Plant Status
While it may be disheartening to see so many in the dark, it’s worth noting that the actual power plants were not significantly impacted by the storm. However, the transmission and distribution lines—crucial for getting electricity to homes—are facing a major crisis with extensive damage. Wilks confirmed that Duke Energy is actively working to restore much of this infrastructure.
Efforts from Local Utilities
In a message shared late Sunday, Duke Energy hinted at bringing service back to the Upstate by Friday, albeit with some regions facing challenges due to inaccessible areas or demolished infrastructure. Reports around 2:30 p.m. on Monday identified that roughly 438,000 customers were still without power. Affected areas included a staggering 180,000 residents north of Traveler’s Rest, along with 132,000 in Spartanburg and about 64,000 north of Anderson.
Ryan Mosier, a communications lead at Duke Energy, confirmed their initial assessments revealing damage to about 6,000 power poles in the Upstate’s service area. Recovery efforts are intensive, with dedicated workers sleeping at energy stations to expedite repairs.
Updates from Laurens Electric
Over at the Laurens Electric Cooperative, crews have made some headway, restoring power to more than 27,000 customers by Monday morning. As of 2 p.m., however, 20,000 customers were still waiting for service to be reinstated. They’ve mobilized over 300 line technicians and support staff, even seeking assistance from nearby states to help clear damaged areas.
They indicated that full restoration in southern Spartanburg might not occur until October 7 due to extensive damage. Laurens Electric characterized the destruction as “historic and catastrophic,” exceeding even the devastation seen during Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Blue Ridge Electric’s Situation
Meanwhile, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative reported having suffered damage to over 450 distribution lines from the storm. As of Monday afternoon, around 2,800 customers were still experiencing outages, particularly in the Easley, Piedmont, and Williamston areas. Unfortunately, no estimations have been provided regarding when energy services will return to normal.
Looking Ahead
Residents are urged to stay patient and pragmatic as workers toil to restore power. The unprecedented scale of this storm means that it may take longer than usual before everyone is back online, but rest assured, dedicated teams are on the ground and working hard to return things to normal.
Final Thoughts
As our community navigates this challenging time, the emphasis is on cooperation and understanding. With concerted efforts from various electric cooperatives, there is hope that the lights will soon brighten in the Upstate once again.
