Greenwood Community Shows Resilience as Recovery Efforts Continue After Hurricane Helene

Greenwood, SC: Recovery Efforts March On After Hurricane Helene

It’s another sunny day in Greenwood with temperatures soaring to a high of 84F. Yet, despite the lovely weather, the community is still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. In fact, over 16,000 power outages continue to affect the county, leaving many in the dark. However, there’s a glimmer of hope as restoration efforts persist with unwavering dedication.

As of this morning, Duke Energy lists approximately 13,663 outages throughout the county. Meanwhile, Greenwood CPW is dealing with another 3,000 outages impacting the city. **CPW** has a handy, address-searchable outage map for residents wishing to know the status of their power restoration efforts. Markings in green indicate power restored, while red denotes ongoing outages.

CPW’s Remarkable Endeavor Amidst Disaster

Jeff Meredith, General Manager of CPW, has described this event as one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory. The encompassing damage spared virtually no home or business. It triggered a complete shutdown across Greenwood’s electric, gas, and water systems — a first in CPW’s history.

With noteworthy foresight and coordination, teams assembled at the Central Operations Center (COC) even before the full extent of the damage became clear. Meredith shared, “Even before we knew the full extent of the damage, we had crews reporting to our Central Operations Center to go into action the moment it was safe.”

Thanks to these combined efforts, CPW has managed to restore over 75% of its electric system. An impressive feat highlighted by CPW’s strategic collaboration with mutual-aid agreements bringing linemen from six other states. Not only have these crews worked tirelessly, but community partnerships have also provided accommodations to these essential workers.

Local and State Collaborations

It truly is a collective endeavor as CPW works in tandem with a slew of state and local bodies, like the Greenwood County Emergency Operations Center. This includes crucial partners from the National Guard, healthcare facilities, and the Red Cross, among others.

“Our biggest priority post-storm was to restore power to critical facilities, from hospitals to local grocery stores,” Meredith emphasized. “Our community depends on these services, and our linemen are committed to ensuring their restoration.”

Efforts In Neighboring Regions

Neighboring Abbeville County is not without its challenges either. Currently, power outages affect more than 1,000 regional residents. Both Duke and Little River Electric are on a relentless mission to restore power, but, as interim CEO Chad Stone advised, “This will not happen overnight.”

Potentially, some areas could experience a wait of up to three weeks before full restoration. Yet, there remains a staunch commitment to a swift resolution of these continuing outages.

Community Support and Resources

For anyone in need, several emergency and support contacts are in place. These include the CPW outage line at 864-942-8100, Duke outage reporting at 800-769-3766, and the crisis cleanup hotline at 864-965-1386. Furthermore, there are accessible resources like the food drive-thru at Boys/Girls Club and a local soup kitchen. These facilities are providing vital assistance during these testing times.

Despite the hurdles, there’s an overwhelming sense of community and resilience in Greenwood and its surrounding areas. Although the road to recovery may still be long, signs of light are already visible, quite literally.

For the community of Greenwood, staying strong together remains pivotal as they overcome these aftermath challenges. Stay safe and stay updated.