CEMC Linemen Head East to Assist with Hurricane Recovery
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, 18 brave CEMC linemen answered the call for help, traveling to assist in power restoration efforts in East Tennessee and South Carolina.
The first group of CEMC linemen departed on September 28, heading to Holston Electric Cooperative in northeast Tennessee, where they faced the challenge of restoring power to areas devastated by the storm. Two days later, on September 30, a second group joined them, providing additional support to accelerate the recovery process in the region. At the peak of the outage, Holston Electric had approximately 17,000 members without power. However, our linemen collaborated with over 60 other linemen from six electric cooperatives across Tennessee and Kentucky to get the lights back on. Thanks to their collective efforts, all Holston Electric members had service restored by October 2.
Once the situation improved at Holston, our dedicated crews were called to assist Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative in northwest South Carolina, another area hard hit by Hurricane Helene. The devastation was immense, and the rugged terrain presented additional challenges, as some areas were not accessible by the crews’ machinery. This meant that many poles had to be dug and placed by hand for replacement. By the time our linemen were en route, nearly 40% of Blue Ridge Electric’s members were still without power. With teamwork, resilience, and expertise, our linemen worked alongside Blue Ridge Electric crews and other outside assistance around the clock to restore power to affected communities.
After days of hard work and long hours, all CEMC crews safely returned home on Sunday, October 6, having made a significant impact on the lives of those affected by the storm. Their willingness to help neighboring cooperatives highlights the cooperative spirit and the dedication of our linemen to keep the lights on—no matter where the need arises. Thank you to our linemen for their hard work and the time they devoted away from their families to lend a helping hand to those in need.