Local power companies preparing for an impact from Hurricane Helene

BLYTHE, Ga. (WJBF) – The brunt of the storm will be felt overnight Thursday into Friday. Representatives from Jefferson Energy and Georgia Power want residents to be prepared for when the storm hits.

The storm could bring up to 5-6 inches of rain in our western counties with isolated flooding and 2-4 inches in other parts of the CSRA.

“Just really depends on the track. We’re on the dirty side, it goes east of us, that’s the dirty side, we’re going to expect a good bit of flooding,” said Truck Carlson, Savannah Riverkeeper. “If it slows down and stays over us for a while, that can be problematic too because of more rain.”

High winds can cause trees and power lines to fall, leading to power outages. Jefferson Energy Cooperative crews are preparing for those possible outages.

“They can text us at 877Jefferson and just put in JECoutage—it’s all one word, JECoutage—and that way, they can get updated information for their home or their business for the outages,” said Tamika Lampkin, the Director of Cooperative Communications for Jefferson Energy.

Georgia Power has also been tracking the storm. They want residents to continue to stay updated and check in with what is going on in their area if their power goes out.

“Stay off the roads and stay informed. So, make sure you’re following us on social media and up to date on your restoration times, which are updated every 10 minutes. It’s on the Georgia Power website,” said Amanda Arnold, Georgia Power Spokesperson.

While Georgia Power and Jefferson Energy are preparing for possible outages in the area, as they work to restore any lost power, representatives want you to know they are working on getting your power fixed as soon as it’s safe.

“Stay away from any trees that are down, flooding, and just assume that every down powerline is energized and make sure you stay away from them,” said Arnold.

The main advice is to make sure you have things like a safety kit, water, batteries, and a fully charged phone and to encourage everyone to stay inside and off the roads if possible.

“If you see that the rain has stopped, you may think automatically, my lights are going to turn back on, but for our crews, that’s when it’s safe for them to go out there. Safely and quickly repair the lines and do what they need to do for you. So, just have grace,” said Lampkin.

For more information on how to stay updated about power outages, visit Georgia Powers website to see the outage map and their storm center , as well as Jefferson Energy Cooperative for their map and how to deal with outages.

“Just be prepared. The best way to go about it is don’t drive over water that is standing because you don’t know how deep it is. Turn around and save your life,” said Carlson.

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