Thirteen crews from electric cooperatives in North Carolina joined REC crews today as they worked to restore service for member-owners affected by the wind storm.

In addition, REC has redirected crews from its eastern service territory to help with restoration efforts in counties such as Warren, Clarke and Frederick, which were hardest hit by the storm. As of 4 p.m., about 1,000 member-owners remain without electricity. With more than 75 separate damage locations already identified and more being reported, and the majority of those locations each serving fewer than ten members, many of the outages will continue into tomorrow. Crews will work around the clock until electricity is restored to all.

Because the ground was already saturated from weekend rain, the wind has toppled numerous trees, broken utility poles and downed wires. Winds gusting up to 50 mph have further hampered restoration efforts, and soft ground has made it difficult for bucket trucks to access damage sites. As a result, crews have had to manually carry supplies needed to make repairs and restore service.

REC provides electric service to over 169,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. With its general office in Fredericksburg, Va., the Cooperative operates and maintains more than 17,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay.