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Gulf Power, EREC Ready With Extra Crews To Restore Power Quickly

Both Gulf Power Company and Escambia River Electric Cooperative are ready to respond quickly to power outages should they occur as a result of Isaac.

Escambia River Electric

“EREC has additional crews available should their assistance be needed if the storm impacts the EREC power system,” said EREC spokesperson Sabrina Owens. “As a Touchstone Energy cooperative, EREC is part of a vast network ready and able to assist their fellow cooperatives in time of need.  Members can be assured EREC is prepared to restore power as quickly and efficiently as possible if Isaac causes damage in the EREC service area.”

Gulf Power

Hundreds of crews from Gulf Power Company’s sister companies, which include Alabama Power, Mississippi Power and Georgia Power, are at the ready to mobilize to Northwest Florida to help restore electric service should Isaac make landfall here.

In addition, almost a thousand workers from neighboring utilities also have been recruited.

“We can always count on the strength of Southern Company to bolster our power restoration efforts,” said Jeff Rogers with Gulf Power. “We’re prepared for widespread power outages if Isaac makes landfall anywhere in our service area, and it’s great to have the experienced crews from our sister companies on standby to help.”

If Isaac should make landfall further to the west and Northwest Florida has minimum impact from the storm, Gulf Power and Southern Company will assist utilities in those areas.

Gulf Power is preparing as if the looming storm will make a direct hit and asks that its customers be prepared as well. Rogers said a direct hit by a category three hurricane could mean power outages of up to two weeks for the hardest hit areas.

“We’re prepared and every Gulf Power employee has a special storm assignment which helps us restore power as quickly and safely as possible,” said Rogers. “If Isaac does indeed make landfall in Northwest Florida, we ask our customers to be prepared for widespread, lengthy outages.

The company’s preparations include making arrangements with vendors to bring in large inventories of poles, wires, transformers and other equipment; planning to set up staging sites where workers can sleep, eat, wash their clothes, refuel their trucks and have tools repaired and making sure aircraft will be available to perform damage assessments immediately after the storm.

“Should we be impacted by the storm, we thank our customers in advance for their patience as our crews work hard to restore everyone’s power,” Rogers said. “Our crews have kept sharp assisting other utilities throughout the year, so we’re ready to get out there and make a difference.”