West Virginia (WOAY) Appalachian Power reports the winter storm has resulted in power outages for about 16,000 of its customers.
The massive storm, stretching nearly 2,000 miles wide, has left close to 1 million people without power nationwide as it moves east, bringing treacherous road conditions, downed power lines, and fallen trees.
Appalachian Power has nearly 3,000 field workers staged and ready to respond.
However, restoration efforts cannot begin until conditions are safe.
The utility reports that even a quarter-inch of ice can significantly damage the electric grid, and up to six-tenths of an inch of ice is possible today across its southwestern Virginia service area.
As forecasters predict snow, bitter cold, and wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour on Monday, officials warn that power restoration could take several days.
During large-scale outages, crews first restore power to critical facilities like hospitals, 911 centers, water treatment plants, and police and fire stations.
From there, they move to repairs that restore service to the greatest number of customers, followed by smaller outages affecting individual homes and businesses.
Appalachian Power’s real-time outage map also lists more than 120 warming centers currently open across its service area.
Customers are reminded to stay far away from downed power lines, have emergency plans in place, especially if they rely on medical equipment, and to report outages through APCo’s mobile app.
More winter storm safety tips and restoration updates are available on Appalachian Power’s website and social media pages.
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