Lights Shine Again in Virgin Islands with Public Power Mutual Aid

March 5, 2018
Public Power Mutual Aid Virgin Islands

Almost six months after Hurricane Maria inflicted destruction and blacked out power to the U.S. Virgin Islands, linemen have restored power to 99 percent of all eligible customers, according to the American Public Power Association (APPA). 

After two back-to-back Category 5 storms decimated the islands' power systems, line crews traveled from across the country to support the power restoration in the U.S. Virgin Islands. For example, Santee Cooper sent 13 line workers and line mechanics from South Carolina to the island of St. Croix on November 22, 2017. Public power utilities from other states including Oklahoma, Missouri, Florida, and Wisconsin also supported the restoration efforts through the APPA's mutual aid network. After completing their mission to restore power, all the mutual aid crews have returned back home.

About the Author

Amy Fischbach | Amy Fischbach, EUO Contributing Editor

Amy Fischbach is the Field Editor for T&D World magazine and manages the Electric Utility Operations section. She is the host of the Line Life Podcast, which celebrates the grit, courage and inspirational teamwork of the line trade.  She also works on the annual Lineworker Supplement and the Vegetation Management Supplement as well as the Lineman Life and Lineman's Rodeo News enewsletters. Amy also covers events such as the Trees & Utilities conference and the International Lineman's Rodeo. She is the past president of the ASBPE Educational Foundation and ASBPE and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Kansas State University. She can be reached at [email protected]

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