CAYCE, S.C. (OCT. 3, 2024) – With catastrophic damage across western South Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene, thousands of Dominion Energy employees and contractors continue to work around the clock in Aiken County and the other hardest-hit areas of the state. More than 90 percent of Dominion Energy’s customers in the western region were without power as the storm exited South Carolina. As of 10 a.m. Thursday, power was restored to more than 45 percent of those customers impacted in the western region.

Crews are relentlessly clearing thousands of trees and setting hundreds of new poles to restore power in the region. Extensive damage assessment continues, including aerial patrols in rural, heavily wooded areas where access is extremely limited. Approximately 4,000 Dominion Energy employees and additional out-of-state crews are working nonstop in South Carolina, representing one field worker for approximately every 30 customers without power.

“An unprecedented catastrophe calls for an unprecedented response from Team South Carolina,” said Keller Kissam, president of Dominion Energy South Carolina. “To our customers who are still in the dark, I promise you that we’re working for you all day and into the night around the clock.  Even though we have made progress restoring main lines and substations, there is still a massive amount of work ahead in this most devasted part of our state.  We were strategically positioned ahead of the storm and are utilizing the best available technology, but no amount of preparation or technology can replace the sheer number of intensive hours and manual labor required to put our system back together one pole and one span of wire at a time.  We will not rest until every last South Carolinian has been returned to the light.”

Over 393,000 Dominion Energy customers have been restored statewide, representing nearly 90 percent of those impacted across our service territory. With severe damage in Abbeville, Aiken, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick and Saluda counties, specific estimated times of restoration are not currently available. The company estimates work will continue in the area through next week.

Current county-level restoration estimates are:

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.

Customers who previously reported an outage may receive notifications or see on the outage map that power has been restored. In a few rare cases, power may not have been restored due to a problem specific to the customer’s location. If this happens, please report the outage again.

Dominion Energy encourages customers who are experiencing an outage to be aware of the following:

• 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 regulated 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.