More than 1,000 AEP Ohio lineworkers and 700 tree crews are beginning their work to restore power after a mixture of snow, sleet, ice and rain crossed the state yesterday. More than 50,000 AEP Ohio customers are currently without power — mainly in eastern and southern Ohio.
RESTORATION EFFORTS
Assessment teams are continuing to determine what materials will be needed at each site to get the job done. Assessing is a critical step in the restoration process and can take time, especially when damage is in difficult to reach places. Crews are using drones in rough terrain and will fly helicopters once weather conditions improve. Read here for more about this process.
Hocking County has declared a state of emergency due to roads blocked by debris. Other counties in the Athens area may declare a state of emergency. Restoration efforts will be affected in these areas.
Crews are working to establish estimated restoration times for affected areas by 10 a.m. tomorrow. Due to the ice, we expect to see additional outages over the next few days. Restoration times may need to be altered as new damage is uncovered or unforeseen circumstances warrant a delay to protect the safety of our crews. We will keep you updated if restoration times shift.
Crews from other AEP utilities are on their way to provide assistance. Essential services like hospitals, fire and police stations, and water treatment plants are the first priority. Crews will then work to restore service to the largest number of customers as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible. Next, crews will move to other clusters of homes and businesses needing to be restored. Any individual homes still without power will be repaired to complete restoration to the area.
WARMING CENTERS
To date, warming stations have been set-up in some of the hardest hit areas, including Belmont, Jefferson and Ross counties. Additional details and locations can be found on AEPOhio.com/OutageMap.
DAMAGE & REPAIRS
Homeowners are responsible for electrical equipment attached to their house. If any equipment was damaged during the storm, it’s important to contact a licensed electrician to make repairs before AEP Ohio can safely restore power. Learn more about the restoration process and responsibilities of a property owner and AEP Ohio here.
SAFETY TIPS
- Stay away from any downed wires and report any hazards through the AEP Ohio mobile app, call 911 or AEP Ohio at (800) 672-2231.
- For the health and safety of AEP Ohio crews, please stay at least 6 feet away from our employees, vehicles and equipment.
- Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or debris within 10 feet of a power line.
- Limbs, leaves and other objects moved by the wind could hide downed wires. Trees damaged by ice could fall or drop broken limbs. Investigate your surroundings before trying to clean up any debris.
- Notify AEP Ohio if you’re using a generator. This protects you and our lineworkers as they work to restore power.
- Never operate lanterns, heaters or fuel-fired stoves without proper ventilation.
- Refuel heaters, lamps and generators outside and away from any flames or sparks. Wipe up spilled fuel immediately.
- Never burn charcoal indoors — it releases poisonous carbon monoxide.
- Unplug major appliances to protect them when power is restored.
STAY CONNECTED
Updated restoration times will be shared as soon as they are available. Customers can receive the latest alerts and information by: