As of 8:20 p.m., Clarkesville-based Habersham Electric Membership Corp. reported 17,000 meters remain without power in its network.
“In addition, there are 30 broken poles confirmed throughout the service area,” said spokeswoman Nicole Dover. “It takes roughly four hours to replace each broken pole, although it may take longer due to terrain and equipment that must be replaced.”
Dover said crews will continue to work through the night, augmented by crews from south Georgia and Tennessee, with additional crews from south Georgia, Florida and South Carolina on their way to help.
One of the co-op’s hardest-hit counties was Rabun, where crews focused on repairing three-phase lines, which must be repaired prior to single-phase lines and service lines to homes and businesses.
“The transmission line which brings power to substations in Rabun County is also out,” Dover said. “Power must be restored to the substations before electricity can be restored to individual locations. A team specializing in transmission lines must perform that work and HEMC does not have an estimated time of restoration for the repair to be complete.”
Dover reminds people to avoid downed lines and treat all as if they are energized.
Restoration efforts are ongoing and a line that was deemed to have no power earlier could be re-energized at any time.
Electricity can travel through the ground 35 feet or more, Dover said.
