So many times we forget those who make our every-day creature comforts possible.

This morning, I received the following in my email from my power company.

I think this is nice!

Dear Appalachian Power Customer,

Two times this month severe storms with heavy rains and damaging winds have tested our ability to restore widespread power outages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 8, storm damage left 43,000 customers across parts of our West Virginia and Virginia service areas without electric service. This past Monday another widespread storm left 55,000 customers without power.

In both cases we owe the fast restoration we achieved to many people.

THANKS TO YOU, OUR CUSTOMERS

This is an incredibly stressful time, and we know that you are storing more food than normal in your refrigerators and freezers, working from home or not working at all, and facing many other challenges. Despite that, you were patient and understanding with us, and you followed social distancing guidelines to protect our employees and contractors as they worked.

THANKS TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS

The commitment to keep the lights on has remained constant. This week more than 1,400 workers assisted with service restoration, including many from outside our service area who answered the call to help. In just one day, we were able to clear 500 outage cases and restore power to 48,000 customers. Today, on Lineman Appreciation Day, we especially wish to recognize the dedicated line mechanics who work each day to keep electricity flowing.

THANKS TO THOSE WHO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE

Police, fire, highway and other emergency response agencies are always there in times of need. We appreciate the cooperation and assistance we receive from them, which helps us keep our focus on safety and power restoration. State and local governments have worked closely with us to ensure that there are no impediments to our work during the pandemic. We are thankful for the work they are doing to keep our communities safe and healthy.
We’ve incorporated new and different practices in our daily work to keep our communities safe, including checking temperatures, physical distancing and wearing additional protective equipment. We were prepared to scale up those changes for a storm situation, and twice in the span of a week our plan was put to the test.

Thanks to you, we passed those tests. The power is on. We are here today and always to make sure you have reliable power. Please stay safe and healthy.

Appalachian Power
500 Lee St, Charleston, WV 25301
1-800-956-4237