Georgia Power prepares for Hurricane Sally
ATLANTA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Sally tracks through the Gulf of Mexico, with forecasts of an eastward turn toward Georgia after landfall, Georgia Power is actively monitoring the storm, adjusting plans for response and coordinating with emergency partners.
Georgia Power reminds customers to keep safety first during hurricane season and offers the following storm tips:
-- Before a Storm: Know your risks of flooding or storm surge and tropical
storm or hurricane strength winds. Check your emergency kit, unplug
major appliances and charge cell phones in case you lose power.
-- During a Storm: Take safe shelter inside a sturdy building away from
windows and doors. Avoid contact with conductors of electricity -
appliances, metal objects and water.
-- After a Storm: Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire, including
telephone or TV wires that touch a power line. Never pull tree limbs off
of power lines yourself or enter areas with debris, downed trees or
standing water as downed power lines may be buried in wreckage or
submerged in water or mud.
Tools You Can Use to Prepare for Severe Weather Year-round
-- Outage Alerts - Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service
to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message.
-- Outage & Storm Center - Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm,
customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and
check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and
information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24
hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.
-- Outage Map - Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's
interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing
users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track
estimated restoration times.
-- Georgia Power Mobile App - Download the Georgia Power mobile app for
Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the
go.
-- @GeorgiaPower on Twitter - Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm
tips, outage updates, customer service and more.
-- Emergency Plan and Kit - Visit the Georgia Power storm page for
information on how to build a family emergency plan and emergency supply
kit.
Mutual Assistance Network
Georgia Power continues monitoring the changing weather around the clock and coordinates with other utilities through the mutual assistance network. The network consists of hundreds of utilities from around the country. As part of this partnership, Georgia Power is able to respond and offer assistance, providing reinforcements when needed to restore power quickly for other utilities. The company is also able to request additional resources to help restore power to Georgia Power customers following a major storm.
Storm Response Pandemic Preparations
Georgia Power constantly monitors changing weather conditions and is prepared to respond to service interruptions that might occur because of severe weather while taking proactive actions including special "distancing" and other precautions to help protect customers and employees from the spread of the virus.
The company's investments in Smart Grid technology and increased automation in recent years mean an increased ability to more quickly isolate outages to smaller numbers of customers and reroute power remotely for improved reliability. In addition, the company's comprehensive pandemic plans help ensure readiness of the critical personnel and facilities necessary to continue providing the safe and reliable energy customers expect and deserve.
In the field, the power restoration process includes these key steps:
-- Assessing Conditions - Responding crews - or in major storms, damage
assessment teams - work to identify trouble spots and the resources
needed to fix them, which could involve coming onto customers' property.
Crews will employ appropriate distancing efforts and customers are asked
to keep children and pets indoors and maintain safe distances from crew
members as well.
-- Making Repairs - Georgia Power crews focus on repairs that return power
to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time.
Ways you can help keep workers safe while they work in the field:
-- If you see utility crews, please stay back a minimum of six feet - much
more if they are working.
-- Please, no cookies or treats for workers during this time. Give a wave
or thumbs up to workers you see. They'll understand your gratitude as
they work to keep the lights on.
-- Don't touch utility trucks or equipment. Electric providers are
operating under modified conditions to keep workers safe, which includes
additional cleaning and sanitation of tools and equipment.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
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SOURCE Georgia Power
