Outage Update for October 5, 2024
Mountain Electric Cooperative Update
October 5, 2024
Hurricane Helene impacted Mountain Electric Cooperative with severe damage to our electrical grid.
There were thousands of trees, poles, and electrical lines damaged. Because of these hazards, please do not attempt to remove any electrical lines that are hanging low or lying on the ground. The electrical grid in several areas will need to be completely rebuilt.
If you have a medical need (oxygen, dialysis or other medical conditions), please find a local emergency shelter. The electricity and the essential needs are being supplied at these shelters.
MEC wants everyone to know we have plenty of materials (including poles) to work with and trucks are arriving daily.
Status for Mtn City:
We currently have 1,700 members out of power.
General Area Crews Working: Upper Forge Creek area, Laurel area, Hwy 167/Lakeview Drive area, Rainbow area, Pine Orchard area, Butler area, Neva area, Sutherland area
General Area Tree Crew Working: Forge Creek, Slemp Branch, Dry Hill, Rainbow, Mining Ridge, and Doe areas
*We will be in the Trade and Poga/321 area as soon as we can access those areas.
Status of Newland and Roan Mtn:
We currently have 7,500 members out of power in Newland and 1,500 in Roan Mountain.
General areas crews are working in Newland and Roan Mtn:
Newland: Roaring Creek, Beech Mtn, Altamont, Banner Elk, Heaton (trying to gain access to Old Beech Mtn and Curtis Creek communities), Sugar Mtn areas, Smokey Straight area. 70% of the 3 Phase lines are restored now in the Newland area, so single phase taps and services restoration will begin soon.
Roan Mountain: Tree crews are working in Old and New Buck Mountain, Simerly Creek, and Piney Grove areas.
All the 3 phase lines are up and energized to taps and services in the Roan Mountain area.
Please be patient with our crews and all utility workers. They are working as hard as they can to restore service. We will get to your location as quickly as possible. Many of these employees have sustained damage to their own homes and are unable to do any repairs because they are working to serve others in the community above themselves.
Please keep our community and our employees in your prayers for safety.
Rodney Metcalf
General Manager
Mountain Electric Cooperative
C: 423.727.1810
Fax: 423.727.1822