Power restored to more than 80 percent of customers

CAYCE, S.C. (OCT. 1, 2024) – Within days of Hurricane Helene's catastrophic arrival in South Carolina, Dominion Energy has restored power to more than 370,000 customers, as thousands of tree crews and lineworkers continue the labor-intensive task of rebuilding the power grid from the ground up in the hardest hit areas of the state. Even more crews and equipment are focused on restoring power to the approximately 67,000 customers who were still without it as of 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Approximately 3,700 Dominion Energy employees and additional crews worked around the clock to restore power to an estimated 95 percent of customers in ten counties, which met the estimated times of restoration the company provided Sunday. Dominion Energy expects to have at least 95 percent of customers restored in eight more counties later this week. The growing battalion of crews and out-of-state resources is strategically deployed across the Midlands and the western portions of the company's service territory, including Abbeville, Aiken, Barnwell, Edgefield, Greenwood and McCormick counties.

"The relentless efforts of our crews across our service territory are steadily restoring our customers' lives back to normal," said Keller Kissam, president of Dominion Energy South Carolina. "For our customers who are still without power, we share your frustration in that many of our linemen working have left their own families in the dark. We continue to increase resources and now have a field worker for every 33 customers who remain without power. I sincerely appreciate the patience and grace demonstrated by the communities we serve, and we will not stop until every customer is brought back into the light."

Thousands of downed trees toppled critical infrastructure, including approximately 90 transmission lines that deliver power to substations in communities across the state. As of Tuesday, more than two-thirds of those critical lines have been rebuilt and returned to service.

Approximately 75 percent of the remaining outages are in the western portion of the state, primarily in Aiken County where access issues and extensive damage are preventing the availability of reliable estimated times of restoration.

Dominion Energy expects to have power restored to approximately 95 percent of customers in the following areas:

More tips for customers who are experiencing an outage:

• Crews can only repair electric service up to a home's point of connection. If a customer has any storm damage from the weatherhead down to its meter base, an electrician must repair it before Dominion Energy can reconnect power to the home. Having any required repairs completed before crews arrive can save time in restoring power.
  
• Properly connect your generator and follow all manufacturer's operating and safety instructions. If you have a generator, make sure it is fueled, serviced, and properly connected. Always operate a generator outdoors and with adequate ventilation.
  
• Stay away from downed power lines. Always assume downed power lines are energized and dangerous. Keep in mind the downed lines may not always be visible and use extra caution when walking outside after a storm. Please remain at least 30 feet away and ensure that others avoid the downed line. South Carolina customers should call 888-333-4465 right away to report a downed power line.
  
• Download the Dominion Energy app. To reduce call volume, customers who want to report outages should use the Dominion Energy app, which is the fastest and most secure way to report or track an outage. Customers may also report outages by going to DominionEnergy.com or calling 800-251-7234.
  
• Follow Dominion Energy on social media. The company will provide regular updates and additional tips to help keep customers informed and safe.

For more information visit Dominion Energy's Outage Restoration & FAQs page.

About Dominion Energy
Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va., provides regulated electricity service to 3.6 million homes and businesses in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and regulated natural gas service to 400,000 customers in South Carolina. The company is one of the nation's leading developers and operators of offshore wind and solar power and the largest producer of carbon-free electricity in New England. The company's mission is to provide the reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy that powers its customers every day. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.