News
Ohio utility crews help restore power in Florida after Hurricane Ian
By: Andy Chow | Statehouse News Bureau
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Thousands of workers from Ohio, along with Kentucky and Indiana, are ready to move into the Hurricane-ravaged areas of Florida to help bring the power back on for millions of people.
Utility crews were sent to the south earlier this week in order to be prepared for Hurricane Ian.
Duke Energy sent nearly 10,000 line workers, tree professionals, damage assessment workers, and support staff to the Florida and Georgia region. Those Duke Energy workers are from the tri-state area of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
AEP Ohio has about 590 employees and contractors in Florida and Georgia. The company said those workers are about to enter certain regions hit hard by the Hurricane. They’re waiting for other rescue crews to clear the roads in order to make a path for the utility trucks.
“Our neighbors in the south are in need and we’re committed to doing our part,” said Marc Reitter, AEP Ohio president and COO said in a statement. “We’re thankful for our dedicated employees and contractors who leave at a moment’s notice to lend a helping hand and for those who remain at home to keep the power on.”
AES Ohio has 38 workers, including personnel and contractors, in the region to help along with another 233 contracted line workers from AES Indiana.
The Edison Electric Institute, an association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies, has compiled a list of workers that have responded to Hurricane Ian.
The group said more than 44,000 workers from at least 33 states are in Florida to help restore power to customers.
The highest number of outages reached 2.7 million people on Thursday, according to the Edison Electric Institute. The group said, since then, crews have been working “around the clock to assess damage” and have restored power to more than 1.3 million people.
Along with utility crews, Ohio Task Force One, a group of first responders, sent about 47 people to Florida to assist with search and rescue operations just before the Hurricane started to tear through the western coast of Florida and through the central region of the state.
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