Line Technicians Restoring Power Monday from Heavy, Wet Snow

LENOIR, NC (March 12, 2018 – 5 pm Update)…Blue Ridge Energy line technicians continue power restoration efforts for 697 members as of 5 pm Monday after heavy, wet snow caused outages for more than 2,000 today.

The cause of the outages was heavy, wet snow falling from power lines and trees, causing power lines to “slap together.”

Currently in Ashe County where the majority of outages occurred, at least 115 locations on the electric system were damaged, impacting 2,375 members all across the county. In Alleghany County, 23 locations were damaged, which resulted in outages for 257 members in the communities of Laurel Springs, River County, Piney Creek and the area of Wilkes County served from the Alleghany district. Another 23 locations were damaged in Watauga County, impacting 252 members primarily in Deep Gap and Elk Creek and in Caldwell County, two locations were damaged and 294 members were affected primarily in the Kings Creek area.

To report outages, members can use the Blue Ridge mobile app (download for free at: https://cbrk4.app.goo.gl/5S4M) or call the cooperative’s PowerLine: 1-800-448-2383.

Blue Ridge Energy advises the public to be alert for downed power lines. If you see a downed line, stay far away as it could still be energized and therefore dangerous and even deadly. Call the cooperative immediately to report it at: 1-800-451-5474.

To check outage status at any time, see the cooperative’s outage map available at www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com and on the Blue Ridge mobile app. Blue Ridge Energy also posts information during major outages and alerts on its social media channels: www.facebook.com/blueridgeenergy; www.instagram.com/blueridgeenergy and www.twitter.com/blueridgeemc.

Blue Ridge Electric serves some 75,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Wilkes, Avery and Alexander counties.