Mountain City Races Against Time to Restore Power After Hurricane Helene

Mountain City Faces Ongoing Power Challenges Post-Hurricane Helene

Good day, Mountain City residents! As we continue to recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, we want to update you all on the current status of power restoration in our community and surrounding areas. It’s been a challenging time, but together we are navigating through it one step at a time.

Now Power Back in Mountain City

If you’re living in Mountain City, you’ll be glad to hear that most of you should have your power back on by now! However, if you’re still facing an outage, it may be due to an isolated issue that our dedicated crews are currently repairing. To report any ongoing power issues, please reach out at 423-727-1800—they’re ready to assist you!

Newland Still in Recovery Mode

Over in Newland, the situation is a bit more complex. Approximately 125 members in the Newland service area are still without power. Among these, about 70 members are located in the Meadows community, an area that suffered significant damage. The restoration process here is naturally slow, with each repair taking upwards of three hours but often only restoring service to just a couple of individuals at a time.

The terrain is rough, and the damage is quite severe, requiring our hardworking crews and outside contractors to tackle secondary lines and meter poles. Crews are currently spotted in various locations, including Calhoun Hollow, Altamont Acres, Buckeye Rd, and Booger Hollow. They are actively setting new meter poles and discovering additional ones that need replacement every day.

Inspection Requirements

It’s important to note that, according to the Avery County inspectors’ office, every house in the Meadows at Land Harbor must be inspected before power can be restored. This is necessary due to the flooding that has affected every meter base in the area and has resulted in many primary and secondary boxes ending up upside down. On top of that, we’re facing damage to underground infrastructures, which certainly prolongs the repair work.

Roan Mountain Residents in Good Shape

If you reside in Roan Mountain, there’s good news for you! All members in that district should currently have power restored. However, if you are still without power and haven’t reported it yet, we urge you to call the Roan Mountain office at 423-772-3521. This step is crucial, especially for those with medical needs such as oxygen or dialysis; we encourage you to seek local emergency shelters that can supply electricity and essential services.

Our Commitment to You

As we reach day 30 of the restoration efforts, we want to express our gratitude for your patience and understanding. We know numerous employees are also dealing with personal losses, including damage to their own homes, yet they are tirelessly dedicating their time and skills to restore power for you, our valued community members.

Please remember, these crews are just as eager as you are to have power back on. Every little step counts, and we’ll continue working diligently until every last service has been restored. Thank you for your support, and stay safe, Mountain City!

For Assistance

If you require propane or heating fuel during this time, remember that our local Blue Ridge Energy district offices are standing by to help. You can visit their showrooms or call the numbers provided for Boone, W. Jefferson, Lenoir, and Sparta locations. We’re all in this together!

As always, if you have any questions or need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us directly. We appreciate your cooperation and resilience during these trying times!