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Feb 22, 2021 7:47 PM
Electric cooperatives working for nearly two weeks to restore power in Eastern Kentucky reached a milestone Monday, as total co-op outages dipped below 10,000 for the first time since the first ice storm on February 9.
As of 6pm Monday, 9,978 total co-op outages were reported in Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky.
Despite warmer temperatures, some roads remain icy and slick. Meanwhile, icy conditions for power restoration crews have been replaced in some areas by mud, muck and much debris. Additionally, falling trees and limbs continue to trigger new outages even as crews rebuild infrastructure destroyed by the weight of ice and snow.
Photo - Big Sandy RECC
With some power outages in Eastern Kentucky in their tenth day, electric cooperative crews on Friday continued to address major damage to the system, including snapped poles. Efforts have been complicated by debris, blocked roads and relentless falling trees, branches and ice.
With a rebuild of significant parts of electric systems necessary, co-ops in Eastern and Southeastern Kentucky continue to gradually but urgently restore power. Co-ops began Friday with about 36,000 consumer-members without power. As of 4pm Friday, that figure had dropped to 27,601. At the height of the outages, more than 100,000 consumer-members were without power on Tuesday morning.
Even as 1,000 line technicians, tree-trimmers and mutual aid workers make progress on rebuilding the electrical infrastructure severely damaged in the.
Big Sandy RECC crews on Route 1092 in Flatgap, Kentucky (Johnson County) Photo: Big Sandy RECC
With yet another winter storm forecast to dump freezing rain, sleet and snow, especially on southeastern Kentucky, crews are continuing to work in frigid conditions Wednesday. After outages rose overnight to about 60,000 consumer-members, the statewide total for electric cooperative outages now stands at 45,840. At its height Tuesday morning, total outages for Kentucky co-ops surpassed 100,000.
Electric cooperatives report multiple broken poles. Big Sandy RECC alone reports an estimated 200 broken poles that need to be replaced before electrical equipment and wires can be installed.
“As we feared, the scope and scale of the damage suggests a prolonged outage. If you are currently without power, it is advisable to prepare for days without service, with the likelihood that it will take more than a week to restore power to all members,” said Chris Perry, president and CEO of Kentucky