Most Dominion Energy South Carolina Customers Impacted by Ian Will Have Power Restored by Sunset Today

CAYCE, S.C. (Oct. 1, 2022) –Dominion Energy crews continue to work around the clock in response to Hurricane Ian. The company expects to substantially complete restoration of power to customers in South Carolina today.

“Our crews continued to work hard through the night safely and as quickly as we could,” said Keller Kissam, president of Dominion Energy South Carolina. “We made significant progress restoring power overnight, and we continued early this morning attacking the hot spots we’ve identified. We expect to see a significant decrease in the outage numbers by noon today. By sunset today, most of our customers’ lights will be back on as we continue our work. We won’t stop until the lights are on for all of our customers. We appreciate your patience, and we urge you to continue to be safe.”

The vast majority of remaining outages are in the hardest hit areas of Mount Pleasant, Charleston and James Island.

More than 110,000 Dominion Energy customers in South Carolina lost power Friday at the peak of Hurricane Ian after it made landfall with up to 85 mph wind in Georgetown at about 2 p.m. and dumped heavy rain across the Lowcountry and other parts of the company’s service area. In fewer than 18 hours, the company had significantly reduced that number to approximately 15,000. 

The efficient restoration process is possible because of year-round preparation through a proactive vegetation management program, which includes safeguarding overhead electric lines from hazardous trees and vegetation. The company deployed 700 additional crew members and contract resources from Dominion Energy Virginia as well as contract line workers from South Carolina, Tennessee and Maryland, which reinforced the South Carolina-based team of approximately 2,000 Dominion Energy employees who are working storm duty. In addition to line workers, this includes support personnel.

Dominion Energy urges customers to stay safe and be informed: 

  • 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. 
  • Use caution when operating a portable generator. Be sure they are fueled, tested and connected in a well-ventilated area outdoors. Improper use of a generator could be life-threatening for customers and crews working to restore power.  
  • Check the weatherhead. If customers have any storm damage from the weatherhead down to the meter base, an electrician must repair it before Dominion Energy can reconnect their power. The company can only repair electric service up to the point of connection to a customer’s home. Having any required repairs completed before Dominion Energy crews arrive can save time in restoring power.
  • Download the Dominion Energy app. The fastest way to report or track an outage is using the Dominion Energy app, which is free in the Apple and Google Play stores. Customers may also report outages by going to DominionEnergy.com or calling 800-251-7234.

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  • Follow Dominion Energy on Twitter at @DomEnergySC. The company is providing regular updates and additional tips to help keep customers informed and safe.

Customers can get real-time outage updates at Outage Map (dominionenergysc.com). For more information about Dominion Energy’s restoration process, visit dominionenergysc.com/restore.

About Dominion Energy
About 7 million customers in 15 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to safely providing reliable, affordable and sustainable energy and to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

For further information: Media Relations, 800-562-9308