FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio — Power has been restored to thousands of AEP Ohio customers who were without power
Thousands of AEP Ohio customers were without power through the weekend as the remnants of Helene made its way through Ohio.
As of Monday morning, about 7,600 customers remain without power. On Friday afternoon, outages reached over 80,000.
Much of the southern and central part of the state was hit with heavy rain and winds Friday afternoon and into the evening. Franklin County has about 90 customers without power as of Monday morning.
Other counties with significant remaining outages include:
- Pike County: 1,433 outages
- Ross County: 1,044 outages
- Scioto County: 2,712 outages
Click here to see AEP Ohio's outage map.
AEP Ohio said Friday evening that field personnel from more than 40 service centers were out assessing damage and restoring power.
Helene is bringing gusty winds and heavy rain to central Ohio, something the area has not seen in quite some time.
More than 1,200 line, tree and support personnel were tackling repairs overnight. AEP Ohio said 130 additional workers are expected to join them Saturday morning after returning from West Virginia and Virginia.
The latest restoration estimate for the three counties impacted heavily by the storms — Pike, Ross and Scioto counties — is 11 p.m. on Tuesday. An assessment of the storm damage is set to be 100% complete this afternoon, according to an AEP Ohio spokesperson.
AEP has offered the following tips on how to stay prepared and handle a possible outage:
- Put together an emergency kit that includes non-perishable food, water, flashlights, batteries, a radio, first aid kit, medications, portable chargers, extra cash and maps of the surrounding area.
- Keep away from downed wires and report hazards through the AEP Ohio mobile app, call 911 and AEP Ohio at (800) 672-2231.
- Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or debris within 10 feet of a power line.
- Limbs, leaves and other objects moved by the wind and ice build-up could hide downed wires. Investigate your surroundings before trying to clean up any debris.
- Notify AEP Ohio if you’re using a generator. This protects you and our lineworkers as they work to restore power.
- Never operate lanterns, heaters or fuel-fired stoves without proper ventilation.
- Unplug major appliances to protect them when power is restored.
- Refuel heaters, lamps and generators outside and away from any flames or sparks. Wipe up spilled fuel immediately.
- Never burn charcoal indoors — it releases poisonous carbon monoxide.
- For the health and safety of AEP Ohio crews, please stay at least 6 feet away from our employees, vehicles and equipment.
Doppler 10 Weather Resources
Download the 10TV News app to receive breaking news alerts