Thousands in the Dark Today
Approximately 80,000 Duke Energy customers in Oconee, Pickens and Anderson Counties woke up in the dark today with no electricity. Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative alone reported roughly 20,000 without power, and numerous customers in Westminster, Seneca and Walhalla are also in the dark. Officials ask that you have patience with the crews as the work in the high winds and rain to restore service to all affected areas. If you have a power outage, you can report it online through your power provider or by calling their office. As a reminder, 911 is for life threatening emergencies only. In Oconee County, for non-emergency situations, you can call 864-364-5911.
UPDATE FROM BREC:
Some Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative members will be without power for multiple days as Tropical Storm Helene has brought widespread damage to our area.
As of 8:15 a.m., approximately 63,000 Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative members were without power. This accounts for 86 percent of our members. Crews have been assigned and will be dispatched when it is safe to do so. Wind speeds will have to decrease for crews with bucket trucks to work safely. Below are specific outage numbers by county:
Anderson: 10,241
Greenville: 5,537
Oconee: 24,042
Pickens: 22,061
Spartanburg: 43
Please stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and remain off the roads. We will continue to provide timely updates on outages and operations.