March 19, 2024

Locals Assist With Va. Power Restoration

Power Restoration

Crews from Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative traveled to Front Royal, VA, recently to help Rappahannock Electric Cooperative withPower Restoration a massive Power Restoration effort, bringing service to thousands of co-op members after ice and snow left them without power.

Power Restoration

SMECO crews assemble before leaving Hughesville to assist Rappahannock Electric Cooperative on Nov. 16, 2018.

“Our SMECO crews know how important it is to provide assistance to our sister co-ops because sometimes linemen are the only ones who can do the job. They take on the responsibility of making sure customers get their lights back on, whether they are SMECO members or members of another co-op,” said Austin J. Slater Jr., SMECO president and CEO, in a news release. SMECO sent 22 workers, which included two six-member construction crews,  two bucket trucks, a digger derrick, and a pick-up truck; four service crews with two members each, each with a bucket truck; plus two supervisors. The crews left Hughesville at 6 pm Friday, Nov. 16.

Casey Hollins is the director of communications and public relations at REC. Ms. Hollins said the ice and snow had fallen during the night Wednesday and into Thursday, causing trees and limbs to fall and damage power lines.

“Thousands were affected along the Blue Ridge mountains from Winchester to Charlottesville,” Ms. Hollin said. “REC crews and contractors are being joined by crews from neighboring cooperatives so that together we can get power restored as quickly and safely as possible.” She said the mud, slippery surfaces, and steep terrain of the area made it difficult for crews to get to the damaged lines. “REC is using tracked equipment, specialized ‘bigfoot’ four-wheel-drive bucket trucks, and other resources to reach damage sites and make repairs.”

The crew members who went to Virginia included, in alphabetical order, Robbie Abell, Steve Cook, Scott Cox, Stephen Crim, Chris Drury, Brent Garner, Josh Gragan, Wayne Gray, Steve Guy, Brent Hancock, Jimmy Herbert, Daniel Hutchins, John Meade, Kila Mills, Jason Murray, Dennis Norris, Zach Reynolds, Will Robertson, Tim Russell, Kenny Sebring, Philip Swales, and Chris Swann.

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