Communities Work Through ‘Hardships and Heartbreak’ in Wake of Helene

Photos courtesy of Blue Ridge Energy, Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative, EnergyUnited, French Broad EMC, Haywood EMC and Jones-Onslow EMC

Contractors and crews from more than 30 electric co-ops in 11 states have traveled to our state to help restore power.

Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 storm, and although the Big Bend region of Florida and other Southeastern states suffered damage, Western North Carolina ultimately bore the brunt of the storm’s historic devastation.

Torrential rains pushed three-day totals past two feet in some areas of the mountains. Quiet creeks turned to churning rivers, and by Friday evening flooding and high winds had left 236,000 electric cooperative members without power.

“Never in my life or in my experience at Blue Ridge Energy have I seen so much devastation and so much damage to our electric system,” said Blue Ridge Energy CEO Doug Johnson. An estimated 80% of Blue Ridge Energy’s power lines — or 6,800 miles of line — sustained damage.

Lingering flood water, downed trees, mudslides and collapsed roads made some areas of co-op systems inaccessible, and in other areas, crews pushed through trees, brush and debris to locate and begin working on damaged infrastructure. In rugged terrain, helicopters and aerial drones assisted in surveying damage.

"There are so many people and organizations that have helped us that I could never name all of them. I hope they know how much it has meant to have their assistance and generosity.”

“It’s hard to describe the extent of the damage to our system,” said Dirk Burleson, general manager for Rutherford EMC. “In many cases, it’s not just a repair effort, but a rebuild.”

More than 500 lineworkers from over 30 electric cooperatives in North Carolina and 10 other states traveled to Western NC to join the power restoration effort. In areas inaccessible to heavy machinery, crews set poles by hand, utilizing spades and hand diggers, as well as iron bars to loosen rock.

“The challenges that crews are facing in the field are unfathomable, from widespread flooding and landslides to rebuilding electric infrastructure that has been damaged or destroyed by the power of wind and water,” Haywood EMC CEO Tom Batchelor said during restoration efforts. “In many cases, power lines have been completely washed away, and crews are building from the ground up.”

Co-op line crews, many of whom had suffered losses from the storm or had traveled from other states to help, were met with an outpouring of support from co-op members.

“This has been the worst tragedy I have ever witnessed, but I am blown away about how supportive everyone has been,” said French Broad EMC General Manager Jeff Loven. “People are feeding us and bringing us food, drinks, as well as other supplies. They are washing clothes for our linemen. There are so many people and organizations that have helped us that I could never name all of them. I hope they know how much it has meant to have their assistance and generosity.”