When Mother Nature strikes, the devastation can be immense, especially when customers lose power for several days. Winter Storm Harlow pummeled customers served by our sister company, Appalachian Power, leaving more than 120,000 customers without power at the storm’s peak. Floodwaters, high winds, and unseasonable cold temperatures delayed repairs, especially in the hardest-hit areas of southern Virginia. In response to this destruction, four AEP operating companies answered the call to help: AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Indiana Michigan Power and Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
“We have agreements with utilities to help each other in these types of situations. It’s called mutual assistance program,” said Joshua McQueen, district emergency preparedness manager at AEP Ohio. “Power is a critical need for everyday life, so extra hands help get the power back on even faster.”
About 6,000 AEP employees helped to restore power safely and quickly. Our crews worked through frigid temperatures and muddy, icy conditions. AEP Ohio crews arrived in Virginia on Feb. 12 and saw widespread tree damage, hazardous falling ice and complex repairs.
Sean S. – Columbus lineworker repairing equipment in Virginia.
“Upon arriving to Southern Virginia, we were met with ice-covered roads, muddy hollers, and rough terrain,” said Ryan Coon, drone operator. “As flood waters rose on Feb. 16th, we found ourselves working parallel to state local agencies rescuing folks in the hollers of Grundy, Virginia.”
“Please stay safe and thank you for all you do to recover people’s electricity during these cold weather conditions,” one person commented on AEP Ohio’s Facebook page after seeing pictures of our crews hard at work in Virginia.
Max O. – Delaware lineworker in Virginia.
Another Facebook user wrote: “Thank you all for your service and time away from your families. Stay safe everyone!”
“Our AEP linemen rock! Stay safe, guys,” another Facebook user wrote.
Nearly 2,000 locations in southern Virginia required repair to restore power. After days of nonstop work, AEP Ohio crews returned home safely to their families. But when disaster strikes again, our teams said they’ll be ready to respond at a moment’s notice because it’s in their DNA—answering the call for help because it’s the right thing to do.
Customer Appreciation
To read more heartfelt comments from Facebook fans visit AEP Ohio’s Facebook post here.
