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Georgia Power warns: Brace for 3-day storm outages
Georgia Power is warning residents to prepare for potential two to three-day power outages as a winter storm bringing ice and downed trees threatens the state. Crews are already being mobilized to the northern regions, equipped with studded tires and snow chains to navigate treacherous roads.
ATLANTA - Georgia Power is urging residents to prepare for the possibility of power outages lasting three days or longer as a winter storm prepares to hit the state this weekend.
What they're saying:
Utility officials warned that icy conditions could cause significant damage to infrastructure, particularly in the northern part of the state.
"The biggest thing is what we ask people to do during this storm is to prepare for the possibility of a 2–3 day outage or longer," said Matthew Kent of Georgia Power. "If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready."
Kent said the company has been monitoring forecasts all week and is currently shifting crews toward North Georgia, though he noted the storm's path could still change. While trucks are equipped with ice tires and snow chains, Kent cautioned that hazardous roads could delay repairs.
"We want to make sure that everyone is safe, if there are trees down along the road or if it’s incredibly icy, we maybe not able to go out until the roads are clear first," Kent said, noting that safety is the company’s "number one value."
In the event of widespread outages, the utility plans to prioritize hospitals and major infrastructure before focusing on areas where they can restore the largest number of customers the quickest.
"With the threat of ice, there could be more damage to trees, just due to the weight of ice, and in turn, could be more damage to power lines," Kent said.
What you can do:
Customers are encouraged to check the Georgia Power outage map via mobile devices if they lose power.
The Source: The primary sources for this article are Matthew Kent of Georgia Power.