Cayce, South Carolina - More than 110,000 Dominion Energy customers in South Carolina ran out of power at the peak of Hurricane Ian after it made landfall with a wind of up to 85 miles per hour in Georgetown around 2 p.m.de today.
Dominion Energy reported approximately 16,000 outages at about 11 a.m. As wind speed and rain increased rapidly, the number of customers without electricity suddenly increased to more than 110,000 at about 4 p.m. With more than 90% of the outages, Charleston, Summerville and the surrounding areas of the Lowcountry were the hardest hit. Around 5:30 p.m. m.de today, outages dropped to about 70,000. The number of outages continues to fluctuate as significant bands of strong winds and rain continue overnight.
'Ian is a shifting and stubborn storm,' said Keller Kissam, president of Dominion Energy of South Carolina. 'It wasn't decided which direction I wanted to go or how long I wanted to stay. That's exactly why we had to be prepared, and we urged our clients to be prepared, for any visits Ian might make. I want our customers to know that our employees will continue to work hard and for as long as it takes until all of our customers have electricity in their homes. Please be prudent and be patient.'
Another 700 Dominion Energy Virginia employees and contract resources, as well as contract line workers from South Carolina, Tennessee and Maryland, are bolstering the South Carolina-based team of approximately 2,000 Dominion Energy employees working during the storms. In addition to line workers, this also includes support staff.
Dominion Energy urges customers to exercise caution and be informed:
Download the Dominion Energy mobile app. The fastest way to report or track a power outage is through the Dominion Energy app, which is free in the Apple and Google Play stores. Customers can also report outages by visiting DominionEnergy.com or by calling 800-251-7234.
Stay away from power lines that have fallen. Always assume that downed power lines contain power and are dangerous. Keep in mind that fallen lines may not always be visible, and be especially careful when leaving your home after a storm. Stay at least 30 feet away and make sure other people avoid the fallen line. South Carolina customers should call 888-333-4465 immediately to report a downed power line.
Be careful when operating a portable generator. Make sure the generator has fuel, is tested and connected in an outdoor place with good ventilation. Improper use of a generator could endanger the lives of customers and employees working to restore power.
Do not turn off or disconnect natural gas service. Natural gas lines are generally unaffected during a hurricane or strong winds, so natural gas service is rarely interrupted. Customers must leave their natural gas service on, even in the event of an evacuation. Leaving natural gas meters on helps maintain proper pressure in gas pipes inside homes or businesses and can prevent water from entering lines in the event of flooding. Customers can choose to turn off the gas on individual appliances in the supply valve near each unit. However, the valve on the gas meter must be turned on or off only by qualified Dominion Energy employees or emergency personnel.
Follow Dominion Energy on Twitter at @DomEnergySC. The company will send out regular updates and additional tips to help keep customers informed and safe.
To see real-time power outage updates, customers can refer to the Outage Map (dominionenergysc.com). To learn more about Dominion Energy's restoration process, visit dominionenergysc.com/restore.
About Dominion Energy
Nearly 7 million customers in 15 states benefit in their homes and businesses from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), based in Richmond, Virginia. The company is committed to providing reliable, affordable and sustainable energy, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Visit DominionEnergy.com for more information.
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