Tropical Storm Helene Causes Widespread Power Outages in Greenville, SC
Tropical Storm Helene has left approximately 76% of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative’s members without power, affecting over 55,000 individuals. Specific outage counts by county have been reported, and recovery efforts include 216 workers on-site and additional support from neighboring states. Residents should prepare for ongoing power outages and roadblocks due to storm damage.
As of 8:20 p.m., approximately 76% of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative’s members, totaling around 55,395 individuals, remain without power due to the significant damage inflicted by Tropical Storm Helene. Efforts are underway to restore power, with 8,000 homes having regained electricity today.
Specific power outage statistics by county are as follows: Anderson County reports 9,074 outages, Greenville has 5,538, Oconee County shows 18,653, Pickens County has 22,080, and Spartanburg indicates 43 outages.
Residents in affected areas, particularly around Piedmont Park Rd, are experiencing difficulty in accessing supplies due to blocked roads from downed trees and power lines. Efforts to reach areas without outages, such as Cherrydale, have proven unsuccessful due to numerous obstructions.
In preparation for continued outages, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative has deployed approximately 216 workers currently conducting assessments and repairs. An additional 17 personnel are en route from Maryland and Virginia to assist with recovery efforts following the storm. The total number of members without power reached nearly 88% by 1 p.m., affecting about 64,100 individuals.
In conclusion, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative is actively working to restore power in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene, which has caused widespread outages affecting a significant portion of their membership. Numerous roadblocks persist, hindering access to essential resources, and recovery efforts are ongoing with additional support being provided. Residents are advised to prepare for extended power outages as crews continue their critical work.
Original Source: weather.com
