ROCKINGHAM — Crews are on standby in Richmond County and statewide in anticipation of power outages associated with an approaching winter storm.
Utility trucks and crews from C.C. Power Electrical Contractors based in Michigan were at the parking lot of Freedom Baptist Church Friday afternoon before staging at Rockingham Dragway.
Track Manager Jim Howard posted to social media that more than 800 utility vehicles were coming to the dragway, with a large tent being set up to feed 3,000 workers.
“(W)e are always here and ready to help our neighbors and communities,” Howard said.
Duke Energy, which serves about 4.7 million electric customers in the Carolinas, has 22 basecamps set up across the two states for out-of-state crews to “park their trucks, pick up supplies and equipment, eat meals and board buses to nearby hotels where they sleep.”
“Forecast models continue to shift, and both precipitation type and amounts may change as the storm approaches,” said Rick Canavan, Duke Energy storm director. “We’re making our final preparations to ensure our 18,000 crew members have everything they need to assess damage, clear trees and restore power as soon as conditions are safe.”
According to Duke, restoration workers will be in position across the Carolinas by Friday night including lineworkers, vegetation specialists and storm support staff from 27 states and Canada.
The National Weather Service is predicting around a half-inch of ice from the storm in Richmond County, with higher amounts farther north.
“Freezing rain is going to be our enemy over the days ahead. It will build up on tree branches until the weight causes them to break – bringing down power lines and poles,” said Canavan.
Trees and branches can break and fall onto powerlines with a quarter-inch ice buildup, and a half-inch or more can pull down the lines, according to Duke
“The freezing rain and ice will also make roads extremely difficult for our crews to navigate, slowing power restoration efforts,” Canavan added.
Both Duke Energy and Pee Dee Electric provide power in Richmond County.
Gov. Josh Stein declared a state of emergency on Wednesday and the county declared a state of emergency late Thursday.
The North Carolina National Guard announced Friday that it has activated 436 personnel and 170 vehicles to “provide resources and support to the most impacted locations,” including:
“Winter storms like this can create serious challenges,” said Canavan. “I urge customers to ready themselves and their families for outages that could extend into next week — and check in on neighbors to make sure they’re prepared, too.”
