Power outages following a Friday morning storm could leave many without electricity for days. It's a frustrating situation, but understanding the challenges can shed light on why restoration takes time.
The forecast suggests that most Appalachian Power and Mon Power customers affected by the storm may not have their service back until Saturday night.
The persistent windy conditions are the primary culprit slowing down the repair process.
"It's not safe for us to put a bucket (truck) up in the air when the wind speeds exceed 30 miles-per-hour," explained Ashley Workman, an Appalachian Power spokesperson. "That's something that we're going to keep a very close eye on but when that does happen we’re going to prioritize assessment work and things that can get done on the ground so we can get power restored as quickly as we can.”
As of 10:00 a.m., approximately 43,000 customers were without power. By 11 a.m., Appalachian Power reported about 32,000 customers still without service. The company is aiming to restore power to 95 percent of its customers by 11 p.m. on Saturday.
But here's where it gets controversial... The delays are not only due to the wind. Damage assessments are ongoing, and crews from outside the state have been called in to assist.
Mon Power reported 30,561 customers without service as of 11 a.m. on Friday. The hardest-hit areas include Marion, Harrison, Taylor, Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, and Ritchie counties.
Mon Power spokesperson Hannah Catlett noted that the winds caused many trees to fall, leading to widespread damage. Assessment crews are working to determine the extent of the damage. Mon Power is also bringing in contractors to help with the restoration efforts.
"The damage is pretty widespread across the state," Catlett said.
The windy conditions are expected to continue throughout Friday, further impacting restoration efforts. Wind gusts reached speeds of 60 to 70 mph when the storm hit early Friday morning.
National Weather Service Meteorologist James Zvolensky described the storm as a squall line in front of a cold front, making it particularly intense.
As a result of the outages, there was no school on Friday in Calhoun, Gilmer, and Ritchie counties. Several other school districts closed individual schools due to power outages.
What do you think? Are you in an affected area? How do you feel about the estimated restoration times? Share your thoughts in the comments! Do you think the power companies are doing enough, or could they improve their response to these kinds of events?
