Power On After Storm

Full power restoration in Wilkes and surrounding counties was complete as of 3:39 p.m. Monday after the Sunday night’s storm that brought high winds, hail and lightning resulting in damage to the system that affected around 500 members of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation.  Outages were widely scattered all across the service area of Blue Ridge Electric, beginning at midnight Sunday.  The cooperative had 50 different areas where power lines and poles had been torn down or damaged by the storm.  Summer storms can lead to downed power lines and Blue Ridge Electric reminds members that downed lines can still be energized and therefore dangerous or even deadly. The public should report downed power lines to the cooperative and stay as far away as possible. Only a Blue Ridge Electric line technician should attempt to remove or handle a downed power line.  In the event of an outage, members are encouraged to call the PowerLine number at 1-800-448-2383.  For more information, visit the cooperative’s website for an outage map and safety information at www.BlueRidgeEMC.com . Blue Ridge Electric serves some 74,000 members in Wilkes, Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery and Alexander counties.