Columbia (WLTX) - SCE&G says people should be prepared for a significant event and including long power outages caused by Hurricane Florence.
“Regardless of this storm’s exact path, we anticipate Florence will bring dangerous winds and the potential for heavy rain and flooding across our service territory, which could result in significant power outages for our customers,” said SCE&G Vice President of Operations Bill Turner. “We have worked for years to strengthen our system against the impacts of severe weather, and our response for this particular event has already begun. We ask that all of our customers stand ready to execute their plans as well.”
While their goal is to restore power safely and efficiently, during the height of the storm SCE&G says they're committed to making sure that all employees are safe until the storm passes.
“A severe weather event such as this will be challenging not only for our customers, but also our employees,” Turner added. “Crews will begin restoring power as soon as it is safe for them to do so.”
Customers can monitor power outages in their area on our website at www.sceg.com/outages-emergencies/power-outages/outage-map.
Report outages:
By text: Now is the time to register your mobile device for SCE&G’s text option at www.sceg.com/text. Simply login to your account and look for "Activate Text Options” under the "Account Options” feature and then follow the instructions. Once you are registered, if you are experiencing an outage, text the word "OUT” to 467234 (gosceg).
By mobile device: Report and check the status of your power outage online from your internet-ready mobile device or phone by visiting www.sceg.com/mobile and clicking on “Outages & Emergencies.”
By phone: 888-333-4465.
Stay away from downed power lines – Storms can cause tree limbs and entire trees to break and fall, sometimes taking power lines and even meter boxes down with them. Always assume any downed power line you see is live and stay away. To report a downed line, call 888-333-4465.
It is not necessary to turn off your natural gas service at the meter during a hurricane. Natural gas is distributed through underground lines that should operate uninterrupted throughout the storm. However, if you believe flooding could cause the pilot light of a natural gas appliance to be extinguished, you can turn off the appliance’s supply valve. If you do turn off the appliance’s supply valve, or if your appliance becomes flooded, do not try to relight the pilot light yourself; instead, contact a qualified contractor to inspect the appliance before using it.
In anticipation of storm impact on the Saluda Basin, we are releasing water from Lake Murray through our Saluda Hydro facility. We will continue to manage it throughout the storm. Monitor the lake levels at sceg.com/about-us/lakes-and-recreation.
Stay informed – Keeping customers safe and up-to-date with timely information is a top priority. Follow SCE&G on Twitter at @scegnews or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/scegnews for the latest storm-related information and safety tips.
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You can also review the South Carolina Emergency Management Division's checklist for preparation. Again, no need to panic and run out and buy things at the grocery store. But it's just good to go ahead and look at it. There are a ton of good resources there.