Restoration Efforts Underway

As of 8 PM on January 6, 2024, the American Electric Power (AEP) teams are tirelessly working to restore power to the tens of thousands of customers affected by Winter Storm Blair, which unleashed a punishing mix of heavy snowfall, sleet, and freezing rain across West Virginia and Kentucky.

Outage Statistics

In West Virginia, more than 35,000 customers have reported outages, with significant impacts observed in Clay, Lincoln, and Wayne counties. Restoration efforts are underway, with expectations to restore power for Wayne customers by Monday evening, while Cabell and Lincoln counties may have to wait until Tuesday evening. Areas including Boone, Kanawha, Fayette, Logan, and Wood counties are looking at restoration by Wednesday evening.

The latest figures show a staggering 9,339 customers without service in Kanawha County alone, followed by Lincoln (2,825), Raleigh (2,043), Wayne (1,731), and others across the state.

Kentucky Power Update

Meanwhile, in Kentucky Power's service area, over 1,600 customers in Johnson County are among those experiencing outages, alongside significant numbers in Morgan (699), Martin (967), Floyd (577), and Pike counties (741). Kentucky Power projects that 95% of outages should be resolved by Tuesday night.

Challenges for Repair Crews

Hazardous weather and challenging road conditions have hampered repair crews from multiple states, who are striving to restore power amidst the chaos. As of Monday afternoon, outage counts in West Virginia have begun to decline but still left more than 39,000 Appalachian Power customers without service. Kanawha County remains the hardest hit with around 8,500 outages reported.

Safety Measures and State of Emergency

As the storm continues to cause disruptions, safety measures are critical. Officials urge residents in both states to avoid unnecessary travel as authorities declare states of emergency.

Large Team of Workers Mobilized

Crews from as many as seven states, comprising nearly 5,000 AEP workers, are on-site working to restore service. Restoration efforts focus on prioritizing essential services such as hospitals and first responder facilities to ensure public safety.

Stay Informed

If you find yourself among those affected or want to check the outage status in your area, updates are available for both West Virginia and Kentucky residents. Stay tuned as AEP battles through these relentless winter challenges to bring light back to your homes.