Monroe, NC – Union Power Cooperative
Union Power Cooperative sent line crews to help restore power to the devastated area of Paducah, Kentucky last week. The area was hit by a massive ice storm that moved across Kentucky and neighboring states. The storm resulted in significant ice accumulation causing widespread power outages.
Friday, President Obama declared the State of Kentucky a disaster area. At its peak, the storm knocked out power to 769,353 customers in Kentucky. At least 29 deaths have been blamed on the storm, according to the Governor’s office. Governor Steve Beshear has called the storm “the worst natural disaster” in the state’s modern history.
The nation’s 1,000 electric cooperatives share a mutual aid agreement to help one another in times of emergencies such as natural disasters. Thirteen linemen from Union Power Cooperative geared up on Wednesday, February 4 and left to join more than 200 other cooperative crews to restore power for Jackson Purchase Energy. “Cooperatives come to the aid of one another in a crisis, that is just what we do, and we know they will be here for us if we ever need them,” says Slusher.
Line Superintendent Randy Smith, Crew Leaders Andy Newsome, Clint Smith and Overhead Construction Superintendent Richard Robinson are leading the efforts along with Linemen Steve Spurlock, Rodney Tarlton, Brantley York, David Medlock, James Peyton, Eric Pressley, David Austin, Jeff Furr, and Jason Helms.
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