Despite treacherous conditions and extensive damage to the electric system, REC has restored power to nearly 80% of those affected by the storm. Crews continue to assess damage, make repairs and restore service as quickly and safely as they can. The damage sustained to REC’s service area is historic and the cooperative is grateful for mutual aid assistance to restore power across the entire territory.
We have seen your questions about the amount of crews working, when they were brought in, and if more can be brought to assist. We’d like to provide a response that will explain a bit more about the mutual aid assistance process.
Like all cooperatives, REC operates according to seven principles. Principles 6 and 7 (Cooperation among Cooperatives and Concern for Community) are most relevant to the concept of mutual assistance. mutual aid and "cooperation among cooperatives" is one of the strongest methods electric cooperatives utilize to support one another following major storms and crises. Heavy snow, gusting winds and freezing temperatures from Frida left more than 98,000 REC members without power.
Before the onset of the storm, REC looked at the forecast and knew bad weather was coming. We reached out to our state-wide association, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, to find us mutual aid crews from around Virginia and neighboring states to ensure that crews were ready to assist if the outage was severe. Many crews were on standby to come assist, but were not able to come until they were sure that their own co-op had enough staff to respond if an outage occurred in their area. After the storm passed, REC assessed the damage to its electric system and documented the widespread outages, the cooperative immediately reached out for additional help from sister cooperatives and other contracted resources. Through this process, REC has and continues to receive mutual aid assistance from Virginia and across the country.
As of today, more than 650 mutual-aid line workers and construction crews are either in the field or on the way to support REC’s restoration efforts.
They include linemen from 55 different electric co-ops across the country, including Ohio, Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.
Needs for additional mutual aid are constantly monitored and REC has made requests each day for additional crews to assist with downed trees / vegetation management; pole replacements, power line replacements and additional repair support needed on the REC electric system. Members will see responder vehicles from both REC and mutual aid parties here to help.
REC has even called in retired former lineworkers to come back on the job to act as “bird dogs” for out of state crews. Bird dogs are local lineworkers or retirees that are familiar with terrain of our service territory. They act as a liaison between REC dispatch and mutual aid crews to help them navigate the area and understand the layout of our electric grid. Select REC retirees are also out in the field assisting, and we thank them for their service and dedication to REC.
REC is utilizing every resource possible to help with power restoration to its members. Depending on location and weather events taking place around the state and the country, it can take time for mutual aid crews to arrive. Winter Storm Frida caused the closure of many major roads and highways, including Interstate 95, which made it difficult for out of state crews to get to us quickly. REC is tremendously appreciative of the immense response for the call to help.
Now, with a workforce of roughly 1,000 strong in the field, REC must take every precaution to ensure the safety of such a large staff. Clear communication between crews is essential to ensure that lineworkers know when and where lines are energized. This work is dangerous, and the entire team at REC is coordinating this effort to ensure that the field crews have all the information and resources they need.
REC truly values all members and their patience and understanding and wants to emphasize the cooperative is taking every action possible to restore power to all members as quickly and safely as possible.
