Contact: NOVEC Public Relations, 1-888-335-0500, customerservice@novec.com
NOVEC is making substantial power-restoration progress
NORTHERN VIRGINIA — As of 6:30 p.m. on July 3, 2012, Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative crews had reconnected to the power grid 98 percent of the customers who lost power on June 29. Crews will continue to work through Independence Day to reconnect the remaining 773 customers who need electricity.
The June 29 wind storm wreaked havoc on the region’s power lines and put more than 2 million households and businesses in the Washington, D.C., region in the dark, including 37,000 NOVEC customers. Co-op and out-of-state crews began restoration work as soon as outage reports came in from customers in Clark, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, and Stafford counties, and the City of Manassas Park.
By Tuesday morning, NOVEC had approximately 2,500 customers off line. Tree and line crews reconnected about 1,800 of them by 6 p.m. Crews will continue to restore service through the night.
NOVEC officials say repairing much of the damage is labor intensive.
“We replaced a dozen broken utility poles today, but we have to replace another 23 tomorrow,” explains Greg Williamson, NOVEC system operations supervisor. “Each one takes time. In addition, Verizon phone problems are hampering our efforts to communicate with them. Cover these problems with a thick coat of heat and humidity and you’ll know why some repairs are taking time. Trust me, NOVEC workers understand how hot and miserable it is for people without air conditioning. Nevertheless, we’ll keep working until everyone is reconnected.”
Customers with Internet access can track restoration progress at http://stormcenter.novec.com/index.cfm.
NOVEC warns everyone to heed safety. Downed power lines and trees touching the lines are extremely dangerous and should never be touched. If anyone sees a downed power line, report its location immediately to NOVEC by calling 703-335-0500 or toll free at 1-888-335-0500.
What to do if Power Goes Out
- Call NOVEC 703-335-0500 or 1-888-335-0500, or report the outage online at www.novec.com if you have computer access. The Outage Center provides estimated times for service restoration.
- Open freezers and refrigerators only when necessary.
- ONLY use portable generators, camp stoves, or grills outdoors to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Heat food indoors in a chafing dish or fondue pot over canned fuel.
NOVEC, headquartered in Manassas, Va., is a not-for-profit corporation that distributes electricity and energy services to more than 148,000 customers in Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, and Clarke counties, and the City of Manassas Park. It is one of the largest electric distribution cooperatives in the nation. For more information, visit www.novec.com.
