About 5,600 members of REC remain without power this morning after the remnants of Hurricane Michael moved through REC's service territory late Thursday and early today. Crews will work around the clock in 16-hour shifts until power is restored to all. Restoration efforts will continue into the weekend.
Heavy rain, combined with strong wind gusts, brought down large trees and power lines. At the peak of the storm, more than 12,000 members were without power. Crews worked through the night, responding to emergency situations and making repairs where possible. Their efforts were hampered by flooded roads and downed trees. Saturated soil, gusting winds, and blocked roads have made restoration efforts challenging.
REC is aware of more than 160 separate damage locations and that number will likely grow during the day as crews discover additional damage. REC continues to use all available resources to restore service as safely and quickly as possible, and crews are being transferred from less-affected areas to those with more significant damage. Right-of-way and line construction contractors are assisting in restoration efforts.
Safety is always a top priority for our employees and members. Downed power lines and trees touching the lines are extremely dangerous. Please be on the lookout for downed lines and be aware that hazardous conditions may exist in the aftermath of this storm.
If you see a downed line, report it by contacting REC or 911 and be sure to keep others away from the line. To report an outage, log in to MyREC SmartHub or visit myrec.coop/out. For those who prefer to phone in to report an outage, call toll-free: 1-800-552-3904. Monitor power outages and important information in the Outage Center in MyREC SmartHub or at www.myrec.coop/outagecenter.
REC provides electric service to over 165,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. With its general office in Fredericksburg, Va., the Cooperative operates and maintains more than 17,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. For more information about REC, please visit www.myrec.coop. Follow REC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
