Storm Response: Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Located in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina

Capability
- Emergency Response & Storm Restoration
Completion 2024

Project Overview

In Fall 2024, the Southern U.S. was hit hard by two major hurricanes. Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, made landfall on September 26, bringing widespread destruction and severe power outages. As recovery efforts were still underway, Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, struck Florida on October 9, compounding the damage and leaving millions more without power. In response, specialized crews from our electric operating companies mobilized quickly and worked long hours to support storm restoration efforts. Their work spanned multiple states which provided critical support to both communities and utilities during a time of urgent need.

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Key Highlights

Hurricane Helene is now recognized as the strongest storm ever to strike Florida’s Big Bend region and the deadliest hurricane in the U.S. since 2017. Ahead of its landfall, our teams mobilized 140 employees, later increasing deployment to 161 personnel to meet the scale of the emergency. When Hurricane Milton followed just weeks later, we quickly adjusted our response. A total of 52 employees and 48 trucks were sent to Florida to prepare for the new storm, while 99 employees remained in North Carolina to continue restoration work following Helene. By October 17, our crews were active in both South Carolina and Florida, restoring power and repairing damaged infrastructure. In one high-priority assignment, a North Carolina crew was tasked with rebuilding a five-mile distribution line in the severely affected Bat Cave and Chimney Rock communities. The resilience and gratitude of the community deeply motivated the crews, who were met with meals and kind words throughout the recovery process.

Challenges and Results

Crews operated under extreme and hazardous conditions, including record storm surges, destructive winds, and widespread flooding. Despite these difficulties, one team restored power to 5,000 residents in just two days—a testament to the speed, coordination, and effectiveness of our response efforts.