In late September, Powell Valley Electric Cooperative endured a storm like we had never encountered before – Hurricane Helene.
As the storm blew through our service area, its high winds and heavy rainfall left extensive damage in its wake. The co-op was left with 103 broken poles, numerous transformer replacements and extensive line repairs. At the peak of the storm, Powell Valley Electric Cooperative estimates that there were 371 outages. Over 598 separate outages occurred at various times, affecting approximately 12,000 of the co-op’s 35,000 members.
While Powell Valley Electric Cooperative employees were ready to jump into action, it quickly became evident that the damage would require many more hands to restore power to our members. In response, the co-op received mutual aid from other cooperatives and contractors, bringing in over 180 additional lineworkers and tree trimmers to work alongside our crews. In just under seven days, power was restored to all members. On behalf of Powell Valley Electric Cooperative and our board of directors, I would personally like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our dedicated employees and to all those who came to our aid. The hard work, sacrifice and teamwork shown by everyone involved made this rapid recovery possible. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to serving our community.
I would also like to thank our community. We are grateful for the prayers, donated food, handmade cards from local children and patience. This experience demonstrated the strength of the cooperative spirit. We value the strong relationships we have with our members, and we could not have made it through without you.
The employees at Powell Valley Electric Cooperative join me in extending you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
— Brad Coppock
