Our crews have made significant progress and we are now down to 2084 members. The challenge comes from these being in 193 separate locations. We will continue to battle and are very certain much progress will be made today. Please remember to report outages to the following numbers only: 706-253-0359 OR 706-276-0359 OR 706-864-0359. This allows us to capture the information we need. Thank you for your patience and please remember to stay away from any downed power lines and always assume they are still energized.
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8:45 am Update – Power Restoration Efforts
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4:10 pm Outage Update
We are currently down to approx. 4900 outages. We are very thankful for all the assistance we are getting from contractor crews and crews from our sister EMCs. Thank you for your patience as we keep working to restore power to our members
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11:30 am Outage Update
7800 members remain out of power. This is down from over 16,000. We have brought in 140 extra outside crew members in addition to 100 that are Amicalola EMC employees. At least 5 broken poles have been changed out and that count is expected to rise considerably. The sunny day and slightly warmer forecasted temps are a welcome addition to our restoration efforts. Thank you for your patience as we work to restore all power as soon as is safely possible.
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8:30 am Outage Update
Member outages are now down to 10,200. Crews continue to work in all areas. Each storm is different, but the overall process is the same. Assess the damage, develop a plan, restore power. The weather is beyond our control and their are legal limits that dictate how the right of way is cleared. Amicalola EMC has an average of 8 meters per mile of line. A crew could work for hours and get less than a dozen homes back on. The area is beautiful, one of the most beautiful places on earth, but we pay a price for our rural setting. The challenges are far different than an urban area. The local investor owned utility has about 32 meters per mile of line…. to our 8. We will continue to battle to restore all power as soon as is safely possible. In the meantime, please stay away from any downed power lines and always assume they are still energized. Please call 706-253-0359 OR 706-276-0359 OR 706-864-0359 to report an outage. If you determine those around you have power, be sure to call back to report a second time. Please continue to be patient, and we ask for your prayers for the safety of all our workers and our members.
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Winter Storm Causes EMC Outages
Latest update from Georgia EMC:
Tucker, Ga. – At 3 p.m., Georgia’s electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) are reporting approximately 149,000 customers without power, up from 96,000 this morning.
While line crews have restored service to thousands of customers since yesterday, a second band of winter weather arrived overnight and in the pre-dawn hours and caused thousands of new outages.
This storm produced as much as 10 inches of snow in some areas and caused heavy damage in Cobb, Carroll, Cherokee, Douglas, Paulding and Union Counties. Other affected counties include Bartow, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Pickens, Rabun, Towns and White Counties.
The weight of snow in particular in these areas has been a challenge as it causes trees to snap or lean into the right of way, bringing down lines or causing them to touch. Repairs have been time-intensive since outages are widespread and in some cases located in every corner of an EMC’s service area.
To assist in the rate of restoration, nearly 300 additional linemen and 50 right-of-way crews from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida have descended upon the affected areas. They will work until all power is restored.
Georgia EMC is the statewide trade association representing the state’s 41 EMCs, Oglethorpe Power Corp., Georgia Transmission Corp. and Georgia System Operations Corp. Collectively, Georgia’s customer-owned EMCs provide electricity and related services to 4.4 million people, nearly half of Georgia’s population, across 73 percent of the state’s land area.
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Outage numbers rise as trees fall on lines
We currently have 584 outages for a total of 17,625 members out, now in all 10 counties across our service area. Trees are heavy with snow and ice and they are leaning and/or falling on power lines. The lines are being torn down. It is important to remember we are only allowed to clear and maintain a 30’ right of way in most cases. We have a prescriptive easement in some cases, but that is also limited to a specific area as well. The trees that are leaning and falling are tall enough so that while they do not stand within the area we are allowed to clear, they are striking the wires when they fall. We now have assistance from many other companies, including
Little Ocmulgee EMC
Washington EMC
Flint EMC
MPS LLC
Pike – Jefferson Energy
Pike – Altamaha EMC
Pike – Jackson
W A KendallFor a total of 105 additional men, plus the 100 or so outside crew members of Amicalola EMC. Please stay away from any downed power lines and please be patient and prayerful for the men as well as our members that we can restore all power without injury or incident.
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Snow blankets Amicalola EMC service area bringing widespread outages
A beautiful snowfall has blanketed the entire Amicalola EMC service area today. The heavy wet snow is weighing down trees and tree limbs and has now caused up to 369 separate power outages, for a total of 6219 members affected so far. 9 out of the 10 counties in our service area are experiencing widespread power outages. Crews are working, contract crews have been called in and all are expected to work all night. Please report power outages to the following automated outage management system: 706-253-0359 OR 706-276-0359 OR 706-864-0359.
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Safety tips for Christmas lights – from GRESCO
A house lit up with Christmas lights is a beautiful sight to behold. But stringing lights across your roof and around your home can be a real safety hazard if you’re not careful. So, before you flip the switch to dazzle friends and family with your spectacular light show, take a few moments to run through this quick safety checklist.
•Before you string up a single strand of lights, carefully check for cracked cords, frayed ends or loose connections.
•The combination of shorts in electrical lights and a tinder-dry tree can be deadly. Keep your tree well-watered.
•Modern lights have fused plugs, preventing sparks in case of a short circuit. Ditch old strands of lights that don’t have fuses and get a set of newer, safer lights.
•If bulbs have burned out, replace them right away and make sure you use bulbs with correct wattage.
•Water and debris can get into outdoor sockets, so make sure outdoor lights are plugged into a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet to reduce the risk of shorts and shocks.
•Keep an eye on extension cords, as they can occasionally overheat. Just touch-test the cord. If it’s hot, unplug it.
•Don’t use tacks, nails or screws to hang lights, which can pierce the cable and become electrified. Use insulated hooks instead.
•When running extension cords along the ground, make sure to elevate plugs and connectors with a brick to keep water and debris out of the connections.
•Tape down any ground-level extensions cords to prevent people from tripping over them.
•Not all lights are rated for outdoor use. Indoor lights often have thinner insulation, which can become cracked and damaged when exposed to the elements outdoors. So, make sure the ones you string up on the house belong out there.
•Don’t leave Christmas lights on when you go to bed at night or when you leave the house.
•When you put your lights back into storage after the holidays, make sure to put them in a well-sealed container to prevent possible water damage and to block hungry rodents looking to turn the cords into lunch.We hope these tips help you stay safe during this holiday season!
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Applications now available for 2018 scholarships and youth tour!
Applications for the 2018 scholarship program (for high school seniors) and the 2018 Washington Youth Tour (for high school juniors) are now available online at www.amicalolaemc.com, My Community, Scholarships or Youth Tour. To be eligible, students must reside in an Amicalola EMC household. Deadline to enter both program is January 31, 2018. For more information, email staceyf@amicalolaemc.com or call 706-253-5287.
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Did you know…your account number can open up a whole new level of service for you
It’s easy to use the Amicalola EMC website for bill paying. Choose My Account, Bill Paying Options, Pay Online, Payments. First time users will be required to enter their account number in both the Account Number or User ID field and the Password field. Once you’ve set up your account, you can manage your electric account quickly and efficiently, right from the convenience of your own home or smart phone.
In an effort to provide our members with the highest level of security possible, and to comply with stricter PCI (payment card industry) protocols, beginning January 1, 2018 we are no longer taking credit card numbers over the phone. However, there are still various ways to pay using your credit card, such as our automated telephone system (in which you enter the credit card information) or through the bill paying option on the website (described above). You will need to have your account number available in all cases.