AEP Ohio line, tree and contract crews continue to make progress in their restoration efforts after Sunday’s wind storm. Wind gusts of up to almost 70 miles per hour broke poles and tore down power lines. At the height of the storm, 75,000 customers were without power.
As of 11 p.m. Sunday, 21,500 customers were still affected, including some in the Northeast Columbus area. We expect power back on no later than 11:59 p.m. Monday. Thank you for your patience as crews complete the repairs. The latest information can be found at AEPOhio.com/outagemap.
While we’ve taken a number of steps to improve the reliability of your service, we still have work to do to make sure it meets your standards and ours. This spring we removed nearly 400 trees threatening your electric service and trimmed an additional 3,400 trees. We truly appreciate your patience and are committed to improving the electric service in your community.
Here’s what you can expect:
Equipment Repairs
Our crews are working to replace several electrical poles, a transformer and a few other critical infrastructure pieces identified during our most recent inspection.
Long-Term
Our engineers are also exploring additional options in targeted areas to improve electric service. We’ll keep you informed on any future developments, and of course will let you know what you can expect and when.
We understand your frustration and truly appreciate your patience — we’re committed to improving the electric service in your community.
FAQs
- What area does this project cover?
Click here to view the circuit map and general project area. Please be sure we have your best contact information at AEPOhio.com/Account in case we need to get in touch.
- What work has already been done?
- Trimmed back nearly 3,500 trees within our right-of-way that posed a threat to your electric service and removed an additional 381 trees. This work was part of our comprehensive tree maintenance work that takes place at least once every four years.
- Replaced electric poles and equipment in need of repair
- Inspected nearly 11,000 feet of underground cable, resulting in the repair of nearly 5,000 feet of cable.
- Installed 18 smart sensors on our equipment to help us better pinpoint the location of any issues.
- Will I experience power outages during this work?
We don’t anticipate the need for outages during this work, but there’s always the possibility that crews might need to take a short outage to safely complete work. Please be sure we have your best contact information at AEPOhio.com/Account in case we need to get in touch.
- Why are trees near power lines trimmed or removed?
Fallen trees and branches are one of the most common causes of power outages. Just one tree limb can knock out power to hundreds or even thousands of customers. Interfering limbs can also slow down our crews working to get the power back on following an outage.
- What smart technology are you installing and how will it improve my service?
We installed 18 smart sensors to the electric circuit in your community to help us better pinpoint the location of any issues and get crews to the right spot to begin restoration work.
- Will this work improve my electric service?
Yes, that’s our goal. We’re committed to improving your electric service and won’t stop until we find the best solution for your community.
Additional Questions?
Please send us an email, and we’ll get back with you.