ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Appalachian Power has reported that over 10,000 customers are left without power and APCO crews are working to restore power in areas affected.
Situation
The winter storm that entered Appalachian Power’s service territory early Tuesday morning continues to progress as temperatures drop and precipitation increases. The 1,500-mile-wide storm system is blanketing southern Virginia and southern West Virginia with rain, snow and ice.
Between Appalachian Power personnel and mutual assistance crews from as far as Texas, a total of 5,400 workers are dedicated to restoring power safely and quickly.
Weather Conditions
Freezing rain is forecast in the higher terrain along the Blue Ridge Mountains tonight through Wednesday evening, which could lead to power outages.
Hydro Operations
With the National Weather Service forecasting heavy rainfall over the next few days that could impact flows on the New River, Appalachian Power lowered the Claytor Reservoir to 1,844 feet, about one foot below normal operating levels. The company’s hydro personnel will continue to monitor the National Weather Service and make adjustments as needed. Visit https://www.aep.com/recreation/hydro/ to see real-time water levels.
How to Prepare
- Charge phones, laptops and other electronic devices.
- Prepare an emergency kit with non-perishable food, water, flashlights, batteries and a first aid kit.
- Make a plan in case of extended outages, especially those requiring electricity for medical equipment.
- If you have a generator, be sure you have read all the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Download Appalachian Power’s mobile app and sign up for Outage Alerts for outage updates.
According to the AEP Power Outage Map, the following localities are still affected:
- Amherst – 108
- Appomattox – 0
- Bedford – 2,295
- Bland – 177
- Botetourt – Fewer than 5
- Buchanan – Fewer than 5
- Campbell – 603
- Carroll – 7,842
- Craig – 0
- Danville – 0
- Floyd – 3,317
- Franklin – 10,588
- Galax – 73
- Giles – 1,790
- Grayson – 3,032
- Henry – 3,420
- Lynchburg – 2,349
- Martinsville – 0
- Montgomery – 651
- Nelson – 0
- Patrick – 3,986
- Pittsylvania – 633
- Pulaski – 176
- Radford – 0
- Roanoke County – 4,202
- Roanoke City – 1,494
- Salem – 0
- Wythe – 1,263
For More Information
Customers can get specific information about the outages affecting their accounts via text message and/or email by subscribing to Appalachian Power outage alerts. To sign up, please visit Appalachian Power alerts.
A snapshot view of current outages is available anytime by visiting Appalachian Power’s Outage Map.