1 p.m. Update: Power restored to 99% of Georgia Power customers impacted by Hurricane Zeta

ATLANTA, Nov. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power has restored power to 99% of customers, more than 806,000, impacted by Hurricane Zeta. More than 4,000 Georgia Power personnel, with assistance from out-of-state utilities, were mobilized as part of the company's restoration effort. While work is nearly complete, all personnel in the field remain focused on reconnecting the approximately 1,000 customers who remain without power and are able to receive electric service.

"The damage from Hurricane Zeta was widespread across Georgia and throughout the Southeastern United States. We had more than 4,000 people working around the clock to restore service for our customers as safely and quickly as possible, and I'm extremely proud of their work and dedication," said Chris Womack, president of Georgia Power. "I want to thank our customers who were impacted by this storm for their patience during restoration. I also want to personally thank the other utilities, public safety and governmental partners who worked together to help in the response to Hurricane Zeta."

Damage from Hurricane Zeta was widespread and covered the northern half of the state and was similar to the damage seen after Hurricane Michael in 2018. As Hurricane Zeta crossed through the state, Georgia Power's service territory experienced wind gusts of up to 75 mph for more than two hours, along with sustained winds of 25-40 mph for more than five hours straight. Teams experienced challenges including downed trees and roads blocked that had to be cleared to enter certain areas.

Damage from Hurricane Zeta included:

• Over 700 broken poles
• More than 3,400 spans of wire down (nearly 200 miles of wire)
• More than 250 damaged transformers
• Hardest hit areas included the Atlanta area and North Georgia (including Clayton, Dalton, Gainesville, Rome, Carrollton and Cartersville)

Update ? As of 1 p.m. Monday

• Power has been restored to more than 806,000 Georgia Power customers across the state.
• There are approximately 1,000 Georgia Power customers currently without power with company personnel working to restore power as safely and quickly as possible.

Customers in some of the hardest hit areas may not be able reconnect to Georgia Power service due to extensive damage. Georgia Power reminds customers that the electrical service entry point on their home or business, including the meter box and other components, must be repaired before Georgia Power can reconnect service. The company cannot, by law, connect power to a damaged meter box, or other non-Georgia Power components, and property owners should contact a qualified electrician to make repairs in order for the company to reconnect service.

As restoration efforts near completion, the company encourages customers to keep safety first following Hurricane Zeta and any storm by following these safety tips: 

• Watch for downed wires. Downed power lines may be hidden by debris or fallen trees.
• Never touch any downed wire or attempt to remove tree branches from power lines ? it can kill.
• Don't step in standing water or saturated ground where downed lines may be present. They could be electrified.
• Avoid chain link fences. They may be electrified by a downed line out of sight and conduct electricity over great distances.
• Watch for Georgia Power crews working across the state. If driving, move over one lane for utility vehicles stopped on the side of the road ? it's the law in Georgia.

About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power