KISSIMMEE, Fla – Two Central Florida utilities are sending crews across the region to help restore power to tens of thousands of customers left in the dark by Hurricane Isaias.
Kissimmee Utility Authority and Orlando Utilities Commission each deployed mutual aid crews Friday as part of longstanding agreements with utilities across the nation to assist during major storm events.
KUA heads to DeFuniak Springs
KUA crews departed Kissimmee just after 1 p.m. Friday, headed to DeFuniak Springs, Fla., where they will assist Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative Inc., known as CHELCO, with power restoration efforts.
Hurricane Isaias knocked out power to an estimated 68,900 CHELCO customers — approximately 90% of the cooperative’s system.
OUC heads to Robertsdale, Alabama
Orlando Utilities Commission deployed its crews earlier in the day, departing at 7 a.m. Friday for Robertsdale, Ala., where they will work alongside local utilities and the City of Robertsdale to safely restore power to customers.
OUC sent a line supervisor, a fleet mechanic and 15 line technicians — 17 crew members in total.
Eddie Fee, OUC’s director of distribution, was on hand for the deployment.
Both utilities said their crews will remain in the field until power is restored.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday as a Category 2 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. At least four deaths have been linked to the storm.
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