Hurricane Zeta is set to go down as one of the worst storms in Alabama history, especially considering the damage caused to utility infrastructure.
Alabama Power Company last week revealed that Zeta’s impact was comparable to that of Hurricane Katrina and the April 27, 2011 tornadoes. Zeta’s high winds ripped down trees and power lines, as well as damaging substations, from Dauphin Island to northeast Alabama.
More than 600,000 Alabama Power customers reportedly lost service at some point because of the storm that made landfall last week.
However, since early Thursday morning, linemen and support personnel have worked day and night, undertaking a historic service restoration effort with impressive results.
By Wednesday, with more than 6,000 personnel from two dozen states and Canada lending their support, the company had restored power to 99% of its statewide customers.
“Our crews faced multiple challenges during this difficult restoration, but we know it also wasn’t easy for many of our customers,” stated Scott Moore, Alabama Power senior vice president of Power Delivery. “We appreciate our customers’ patience throughout this multiday restoration effort.”
The company outlined that eastern and southern Alabama suffered the most damage, with tree-blocked roads hampering crews in many places. Particularly hard-hit areas were located in Calhoun, Chilton, Clarke, Clay, Dallas, Randolph and Talladega counties. Those locations posed additional challenges because of severely damaged infrastructure and difficult terrain in certain spots.
Undeterred, crews worked through the weekend, and by Tuesday night had replaced more than 1,100 poles, more than 1,000 transformers and 1,950 spans of wire. In some cases, crews made temporary fixes to get the lights on as quickly as possible and will have to return to make permanent repairs.
“I have lived through hurricanes since Camille in 1969 – Ivan in 2004 and Zeta are the only two that have scared me,” commented James “Big Daddy” Lawler, a lifelong resident of Camden and longtime host of the “Gettin’ Outdoors with BDL” radio show and podcast.
“The aftermath destruction in the rural areas was unbelievable. I don’t know how they have gotten as much service back as quick as they have, given the terrain and remote locations. Those guys are remarkable,” he added.
A release explained how Alabama Power crews take a “hub and spoke” approach to restoration following major storms. After focusing immediately on restoring critical infrastructure (such as hospitals, police and fire stations), the company concentrates on making the fixes that will get the greatest number of customers on as fast as possible.
That often means special teams taking on the damage to the large transmission lines that bring power from the generating facilities to cities and communities. At the same time, distribution crews are attacking the downed wires and poles that run from substations through neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, the work is 24/7 at the Alabama Control Center and the company’s distribution control centers (DCCs) across the state, where experts work with state-of-the-art technology to oversee the grid and shift the flow of power.
At the company’s regional DCCs, teams supported each other — from Mobile to Birmingham, Tuscaloosa to Anniston — and coordinated with field crews to re-energize neighborhood lines as soon as possible. Amid the height of the storm recovery, they also worked with first responders and 911 centers to protect emergency workers when crises, such as reports of downed lines or overnight house fires, required quick action to reroute service or turn off power temporarily for safety.
Another aspect of the recovery efforts took on extra significance, as Alabama Power focused on ensuring polling places had service well before the doors opened for Tuesday’s general election.
Members of the Alabama Public Service Commission, meeting in Montgomery on Tuesday, praised the company’s restoration efforts amid historically difficult conditions.
“Thank you to the real heroes of this storm: the linemen,” PSC President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (R-AL) remarked.
Customers also expressed appreciation for the tireless work of getting the lights back on, although the company acknowledged that the storm and its aftermath has been frustrating for many who spent time without service.
At the company’s business office in Centreville, in Bibb County, a customer even slipped a note into the overnight drop box this week. The note read, “God bless all the Ala Power employees who worked so hard to restore power to Bibb. It is appreciated!!”
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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