An intense windstorm swept through Kentucky on March 3, causing widespread damage and leaving more than 300,000 Kentucky co-op members without power, reported Kentucky Electric Cooperatives.
The extensive damage to the electric infrastructure in the state made it take days to restore everyone’s power. Because of the widespread damage, even beyond Kentucky, the state’s co-ops asked for mutual aid to help with the restoration efforts.
Fifty-eight electric co-ops from nine states answered the call. From Illinois, crews from Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association, Tri-County Electric Cooperative and Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative sent crews to aid in restoration efforts.
The Illinois lineworkers assisted West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation with its 20,000 outages and Nolin Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation with its 17,300 outages. Restoration was completed on March 8.
Photo courtesy of Josh Hess, Nolin RECC
