After more than a week spent in Texas, hundreds of Alabama Power line workers and contractors have returned home. Their mission was to restore power to those affected by Hurricane Beryl, and they successfully accomplished it. Thanks to their hard work, 99% of CenterPoint Energy customers now have their lights back on.
Two weeks ago, a category one hurricane hit Texas after wreaking havoc in the Caribbean. The storm caused extensive flooding and resulted in power outages that affected over two million individuals.
According to Anthony Cook, a representative from Alabama Power, the aftermath of the storm left behind a significant amount of damage including fallen trees and branches, as well as damaged power poles and wires. Before restoring power, the team had to dedicate their efforts towards cleaning up and repairing the damage. After working tirelessly for 11 consecutive days, Alabama Power’s 350 personnel, which included 300 contractors, were finally able to take a well-deserved break on Friday.
During events like this, everyone is needed to lend a helping hand, according to Cook. Companies providing essential services from all over the country join forces towards a shared objective, forming a network of mutual aid.
According to Cook, there are times when we require help, just like during Hurricane Idalia last year. Utilities came to our aid and assisted us in restoring power. This time around, we had an opportunity to reciprocate by helping out a partner and serving the people of Texas in restoring their power.
According to Alabama Power, they were able to repair and replace a total of 113 poles, 962 spans of wire, 83 transformers, 809 services, and 96 switches as part of their restoration effort.