Hurricane Helene Knocks Out Power to 220,000+ in Augusta Region
Over 220,000 homes and businesses in the Augusta area lost electricity after Hurricane Helene tore through the region. The storm’s fierce winds and heavy rain left a trail of destruction, toppling trees and flooding roads.
Georgia Power reported 127,000 customers without service in Augusta as of Sunday morning. Across the state line, Dominion Energy counted 46,000 outages in Aiken County, South Carolina. Jefferson Energy noted 34,000 customers in the dark across 11 counties, with Richmond County hit hardest at 15,874 outages.
The power company deployed 1,000 workers to Richmond County, kicking off repairs early Saturday. They estimate Augusta won’t see full restoration until October 5 at 11:45 PM. Georgia Power called Helene “the most destructive hurricane” in its history.
Repair crews face big hurdles. Fallen trees block many roads. Floods make some areas hard to reach. Weak trees and wet ground might cause more outages as cleanup goes on.
The blackout brought much of daily life to a standstill. Some gas stations are out of operation because they cannot pump fuel. Many stores and shops have closed their doors. Schools in Columbia County will stay shut through at least October 4.
Georgia Power mobilized over 14,000 people for the response. Teams from 35 companies in other states rushed to help. The National Guard sent 175 troops to clear debris in Augusta.
Locals lined up at working gas stations and stores to stock up on supplies. Officials asked people to limit travel and stay off the roads when possible.
Power companies warn it could take over a week to get everyone back online. The huge scale of damage means slow progress, even with thousands of workers on the job.
