A contingent of power restoration crews from I&M answered the call for help after Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction and millions of people without power.
I&M crews helping restore service to Kentucky Power customers.
In total, 466 I&M employees and business partners helped our sister companies, Kentucky Power and Appalachian Power Company, restore service to their customers. Among the team were line workers, damage assessors, tree trimming experts, meter technicians, fleet technicians, safety personnel and various business support staff from across our service area.
Crews worked 16-hour days in hilly, heavily forested and flooded areas in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. The big task for restoration workers was repairing and replacing hundreds of broken power poles and thousands of spans of fallen power lines. Washed out and blocked roads made driving and walking treacherous for workers. Despite being away from their families and homes for several days, crews were dedicated and restored a sense of comfort for those affected.
“We stayed focused and worked safely to get the lights on for those customers and communities who needed it to begin cleaning and rebuilding after the storm,” said Donny Williams, I&M’s Manager of Distribution System for our Michigan districts. “There is no shortage of gratitude we are hearing from customers, and it made being away from home worth it when we saw lights turn on inside homes.”
Lineworkers were in heavily wooded areas restoring power in Kentucky.
Before I&M agrees to provide mutual assistance, we look at forecasts, determine where we can best help and ensure there is a strong balance of employees remaining in Indiana and Michigan.
American Electric Power (AEP), I&M’s parent company, has operating companies in eleven states – including Indiana and Michigan. Several of those operating companies, travel to help I&M restore power after damaging storms and we gladly return the favor when possible.