Mountain Electric Cooperative Update

October 2, 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.

We have multiple contract crews on site and additional crews arriving this morning. We have over 70 employees working in the field to restore outages in the Mtn City area. We have 115 employees working in the Newland and Roan Mtn areas (due to those areas being the hardest hit with damages). This is in addition to our office personnel.

Mtn City experienced major damage to our highlines and distribution system.

Or goal is to restore as much power as possible to as many people as possible with every move our field crews make.

When damage of this magnitude occurs, we have a standard priority list to go by.

1^st We work with TVA to repair damage to our 161kv and 69kv lines to our substations. TVA had to fly multiple employees (by helicopter) into remote and hard to access areas to repair damage to their 161kv lines. These lines feed our substations.

2^nd We energize our substations: TVA cleared the 161kv line to Beech Mtn late Tuesday evening. Currently all the substations in Mtn City, Newland, and Roan Mtn are restored and energized.

3^rd Is to focus on our three-phase distribution grid. The road is being worked on in the Trade community. Once the road is repaired for our large trucks, we will begin working in that area to rebuild a large portion of the electrical grid.

We estimate 85-90% of the three phase lines are restored in Mtn City.

4^th Is to focus on our single-phase lines. We are still experiencing multiple outages on the single-phase lines in Mtn City, Newland, and Roan Mtn. We currently have crews working in many of these areas.

5^th Is to repair individual service lines to houses. We have small crews working on service lines. At this point we are still assessing the damage to individual service lines.

Although these are guidelines, we go by to get power restored, when under storm work conditions multiple phases are being worked on at the same time.

Please understand, we experienced a major storm with heavy winds and rain (it has been estimated to be a once in a lifetime event). Trees need to be removed and many of the roads repaired before we can repair the damage or in some cases rebuild the distribution system. Our crews and contractors are working as hard and as fast as they can to get all the outages restored.

Status for Mtn City:

We currently have 3,500 members out of power.

85-90% of the Three Phase lines are energized. We have crews already working on the next step of the work plan, such as the single-phase tap lines. These lines are feed from the three phase lines.

General areas crews are working in Mtn City:

Shady Valley, East Mtn City, Mining Town Rd, Crossroads Drive, Sugar Grove Church Rd, Dug Hill, Laurel Rd, Rocky Knob Rd, and the Butler Area.

*As mentioned, we will be in the Trade Community and Poga/321 as soon as we can gain access to those areas.

Status of Newland and Roan Mtn:

We currently have 11,000 members out of power.

All the substations are energized.

70% of the three phase lines are energized. We have crews already working on the next set of the work plan, the single-phase tap lines. These lines all feed from the three phase lines.

General areas crews are working in Newland and Roan Mtn:

Linville Falls, Jonas Ridge, Banner Elk, Below Minneapolis, Vale area of Newland, Blevins Creek Rd., Tiger Creek Rd., Simmerly Creek Rd., and 19E towards Hampton.

TVA had to fly employees (by helicopter) to repair the damage on the 161kv line feeding the Beech Mtn Substation. They have completed the work and energized the line late on Tuesday, 10-1-24. Beech Mtn Substation is energized, crews were moving into that area this morning.

All the substations are energized in the Newland and Roan Mtn service 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

[email protected]