Ice Continues to Hang On – Downed Trees Causing More Power Outages
With temperatures continuing to hover in the low to mid 30’s, icing on trees and power lines continues to be a problem.
Photo courtesy: Marsha Sahlman
Scenes like this one are common today in Franklin and Stephens counties.
This transformer on Roberts St. in Lavonia blew overnight, igniting tree limbs.
The fire was put out and no one was injured, but parts of Roberts St. are still without power.
As of 11a, Hart EMC reports 4,724 customers still in the dark, with 1,950 customers calling to report new outages.
Photo courtesy: Marsha Sahlman
“It’s just a matter of the ice causing problems. It’s just not melting that fast,” Hart EMC spokesman Keith Brown said. “We no sooner get power restored than another tree falls in that same area and the power goes out again. We were hit pretty hard and we’re trying to get the power restored just as quick as we can.”
Brown said they have called in crews from sister EMC’s and have contracted with outside crews to come in to help with the work.
Georgia Power, meantime, continues to work to restore power to customers all along the SR17 corridor from Toccoa to Royston.
As of 11:30a, over 1,100 customers were without electricity.
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