For Immediate Release

Jessica Parr

JParr@Comelec.coop 

Windsor, VA (Jan. 27, 2022) - Community Electric Cooperative is closely monitoring the path of the major winter storm forecast to sweep through its service territory beginning Friday night. The cooperative is preparing to respond quickly and safely to its potential impacts on the electric system.

Line technicians are prepping trucks with all necessary supplies and materials for any outages that may occur as a result of the storm. System operators are monitoring the cooperative's power system and weather on a 24-hour basis, and all other employees are on high alert, ready to respond to member needs, including the cooperative’s member service contact center. CEC has coordinated with co-ops in surrounding areas and states for potential assistance.

“We can never be over prepared. We take the safety of our team and our members very seriously and if we can stay ahead of the situation, it tends to prove better for everyone,” said Glen Presson, CEC’s Manager of Operations.

Community Electric urges members to make preparations now to remain safe and comfortable in the event of an outage. 

How You Can Prepare:  

• Assemble an emergency kit. It should include at least a three-day supply of water, non-perishable food, medication, first aid supplies, a flashlight, weather radio and extra batteries. Include a list of emergency contacts.
• Charge your cell phone and have external, backup power sources charged. 
• Develop an evacuation plan in case it’s needed. Communicate the plan to your family. Include pets or livestock in your plan. 
• Fuel up. Fill up your vehicles before the storm as a loss of power could affect gas stations.
• Consider having supplies handy for your propane or charcoal grill. Be sure to grill outdoors in well ventilated areas for safety. 

Keep all devices charged in order to report an outage via the SmartHub app and account. If need be, keep CEC’s outage reporting number handy: 757-242-6181.  

“Although we do not expect this event to cause severe damage, we do strongly encourage our members to remain alert and prepared. In the event of an outage, we will share regular updates on our Facebook page along with any other resources and updates that may come available to us,” said Jessica Parr, Manager of Communications.

As a reminder, if strong winds and snow or ice lead to downed lines, stay away! Contact with downed lines can be dangerous, even deadly. Report downed power lines to Community Electric Cooperative at 757-242-6181 or call 911 immediately. 

The cooperative will respond to all outages as soon as conditions are safe. Please note:

• Our crews need time to accurately provide estimated restoration time. Sometimes, this is not until the storm has completed its course.
• In rare cases where immediate danger is in the vicinity, crews are restricted from working. However, they will resume work as conditions become safe.

Community Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Windsor, is a not-for-profit member-owned energy provider that serves nearly 12,000 homes, farms and businesses in the counties of Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex and the City of Suffolk. For more information, go to www.comelec.coop. 

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