Tropical Storm Michael ‘Packed a Punch’ to Central NC

Piedmont Electric

Less than a month after Hurricane Florence hammered North Carolina, Tropical Storm Michael swept up from the Gulf Coast and caused damage in many areas of the state.

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives worked quickly to restore power in the wake of the storm, which made landfall in the Florida panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday, Oct.10.

NC electric co-op power outages peaked at 117,000 on Thursday evening, concentrated in central North Carolina. The highest number of cooperative power outages were in Orange, Davidson, Randolph and Person counties. 

“Tropical Storm Michael really packed a punch for the short amount it took to roar through our area,” said Randolph EMC Vice President of Engineering and Operations Dennis Mabe. Heavy rain and high winds toppled large trees, causing more than 70 broken poles across Randolph EMC’s system.

Co-op crews from Ohio and Illinois co-ops joined local crews and those sent from other parts of the state to bring power back on as quickly as possible. By Monday evening, less than 100 co-op members remained without power statewide.

NC co-ops also sent crews to Virginia and Florida to assist with restoration efforts there. Three Florida-based electric co-ops saw almost every meter on their systems taken down by Hurricane Michael as high winds and storm surges in excess of 13 feet washed ashore.