Georgia Power remains committed to providing its 2.6 million customers safe and reliable service, while offering important safety tips and storm resources as the spring storm season arrives amid the COVID-19 pandemic. March, April and May are typically the most active months for severe thunderstorms with lightning, hail and tornadoes, though severe weather can happen at any time.
Georgia Power constantly monitors changing weather conditions and has been closely monitoring the potential threat posed by COVID-19 since January. The company said it remains prepared to respond to service interruptions that might occur because of severe weather while taking proactive actions including special distancing and other precautions to help protect customers and employees from the spread of the virus.
The company regularly provides information and updates on the virus to employees, including prevention recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, and is following the latest developments and updates from public health officials and medical professionals.
The company’s investments in smart grid technology and increased automation in recent years mean an increased ability to more quickly isolate outages to smaller numbers of customers and reroute power remotely for improved reliability. In addition, the company’s comprehensive pandemic plans ensure readiness of the critical personnel and facilities necessary to continue providing the safe and reliable energy customers expect and deserve.
In the field, the power restoration process includes these key steps:
- Assessing Conditions – Responding crews – or in major storms, damage assessment teams – work to identify trouble spots and the resources needed to fix them, which could involve coming onto customers’ property. Crews will employ appropriate distancing efforts and customers are asked to keep children and pets indoors and maintain safe distances from crew members as well.
- Making Repairs – Georgia Power crews focus on repairs that return power to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time.
