We’re proud of our nearly 360 I&M employees, contractors and members of the Distribution Dispatch Center (DDC) that helped Appalachian Power Company (APCO) after a winter storm disrupted service to more than 100,000 customers. The storm blanketed much of APCO’s southern West Virginia and Virginia service areas with snow, sleet and up to 0.50" of ice.

Lineworkers, damage assessors, fleet technicians, safety personnel and various support staff worked 16-hour days in below-freezing temperatures and additional snowfall to restore power. Crews repaired damaged equipment, set new power poles and replaced downed power lines. Among the hazards for crews were slips, trips and falls, navigating treacherous road conditions, working in frigid conditions, and working in unfamiliar areas with unfamiliar equipment.

“We started every morning with a safety briefing to discuss potential hazards of working in the conditions. Crews performed pre-job briefs where the hazards were talked about again,” said Herb West, Manager of Distribution System, and storm restoration leader. “I cannot express how appreciative I am for the hard working, professional crews that made up the I&M contingent. Their desire and efforts to work safely, efficiently, remain productive, and tackle even the hardest challenges is very impressive.”

The DDC helped APCO from IMPC in downtown Fort Wayne. During this storm restoration Alan Jordan, Austin Barron, David Makonnen and David Nowlan helped dispatch for APCO and Kentucky Power so our sister companies could focus on heavily damaged areas.

"We have been diligently working on standardization within the DDC for the past two years to support during storm restoration," said Jarrod Wilson, DDC Manager. "Swapping or covering for other operating companies is a routine part of our operations, especially during important meetings, events, and storm situations. This practice exemplifies how we function as a cohesive team spread across AEP's service area."

Our I&M contingent’s efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Below are a few messages of gratitude from APCO customers on its social media pages:

• “Your line crews do an amazing job! In this horrible cold weather, they got our power back on so quickly! They are lifesavers!!” – Andrea
• “All are so awesome. Thank you for everything you all do. All are true heroes.” – Nancy
• “You guys knock it out of the park in the toughest conditions. Thank you’ s are not enough.” – Charlie

"We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the I&M employees who have worked tirelessly to ensure that our customers have lights and heat at home,” said Scott Huebner, director of Distribution Region Operations. “Your commitment does not go unnoticed. We recognize the sacrifices that you and your families make so that we can assist those in need. It truly takes a special kind of person to leave their lives behind on short notice, not knowing when they will return, to restore comfort to our communities. Thank you for your exceptional teamwork."

We have a long history of working safely to restore communities in the wake of natural disasters. In 2024, I&M helped restore power after Hurricane Beryl, Helene and Milton. In return, we received mutual assistance after powerful storms, including tornadoes, caused widespread outages across our service area.