Aiken Electric Cooperative works to restore power after Helene

AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) – Some Aiken Electric Cooperative customers are still in the dark more than a week after Hurricane Helene hit.

More than 700 contractors start their day in a ‘”tent city” – praying and having breakfast before heading out to some of the hardest-hit areas, like Edgefield County.

Braden and Madison Ferguson were in Utah during the storm.

“Very devastating. It’s a family home. I grew up on this street,” said Madison.

The next day, they learned about the damage when the family sent a video. The garage was destroyed, and a tree crashed through the roof, leaving their home open to the sky.

“When we got here, there was a possum living in the house,” said Braden. “Yeah. That had come through the hole in the ceiling. That was, that was fun.”

While the Fergusons are picking up the pieces, they’re not alone. More than 47,000 Aiken Electric Co-op customers were without power. The Edgefield District was hit hardest, but Aiken and other counties also felt the impact.

“Some spots are total devastation,” said Duane Moore, an operation supervisor: “Complete rebuild.”

Teams from across the country, including Kansas and Wisconsin, are giving a helping hand. They are replacing poles and rebuilding power lines after the storm.

“I’d say we probably replaced 40 to 50 so far. Yeah. In those three days,” said Moore.

Some areas are in rural places, making it difficult for restoration efforts due to terrain and trees.

We saw Kord Williams, a 4th year apprentice, tackling damaged poles. First, he shut off the power. Then, he covered the wires and removed the old cutout. After that, he installed the new one and reconnected everything.

“After I put the fuse barrel in and close it back in, they should have power,” said Williams.

“You can, you can be grateful for the things that still are around,” said Braden Ferguson. “I mean, all of our family, we have a lot of family around here. Everyone’s safe. No one, no one was hurting the storm.”

For updates and when to expect your power back, head to Aiken Electric Co-op’s website or follow them on social media .

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