RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – With another winter storm approaching, Dominion Energy officials say they’re preparing a “possible multi-day event” that’s all hands on deck.
“Everyone is available and on call and ready to respond tomorrow. We’re making sure all the equipment is in place, and we’re ready to go,” said Craig Carper, spokesman for Dominion Energy.
Carper said crews are filling their trucks up with gas and ensuring they have all their equipment ready. He said that while no storm is the same, whether it’s snow or ice, they tend to see mainly downed powerlines, trees, and broken transformers. Carper said they have learned to better respond to these problems after each storm.
“These are standard things, you know, different things may cause them to fail and need them to be repaired or replaced, but we’ve seen it all,” he said.
Dominion Energy serves a large portion of the Commonwealth. It has been switching its above-ground lines to underground ones for the past decade to avoid outages.
“Once a neighborhood has been moved underground, it’s less frequent outages, and when they do occur, they’re for shorter durations,” Carper said.
Small businesses, nonprofits, and places of worship in South Carolina facing financial challenges have just over a month remaining to apply for assistance with their utility bills through Dominion Energy.(LIVE 5 NEWS)
However, that’s not always the case. So, Carper said it’s crucial to report people experiencing outages or seeing downed powerlines by calling, going online or using their mobile app.
Most importantly, he said to keep a safe distance, at least thirty feet, from a downed line and always assume it’s energized.
“Let your family and your neighbors know and keep your pets away from it,” he said.
Lastly, Carper urges residents to do their own prep. Stocking up on non-perishables, water, batteries and flashlights.
“We’re preparing for the worst, hoping for the best. We encourage others to do the same,” Carper said.
Carper also said the company always gets questions about how it prioritizes outages. He said critical public infrastructures like schools and hospitals are always at the top.
Then it goes from biggest to smallest. For example, an apartment complex with hundreds of residents will take priority over a few houses on the street.
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