DMV winter storm: Threat of ice raises concerns about widespread power outages
Ice threat raises risk of power outages this weekend
With a major winter storm approaching, there are warnings that some people could see prolonged power outages. FOX 5's David Kaplan reports.
WASHINGTON - With a major winter storm approaching, there are warnings that some people could see prolonged power outages.
Power companies preparing:
Pepco and Dominion are both activating every crew and contractor they have to help restore power if it's lost during this winter storm.
They say, historically, storms like the one barreling towards the DMV can cause outages and there are no guarantees on how quickly electricity would be restored.
"We ask folks to get ready. Get water and the things you’ll need for an outage," said Dominion Energy's Brennan Gilligan, "Stay warm. Stay safe. And know that we’re working as quickly and safely as we can."
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Ice concerns:
The biggest worry for power restoration crews is ice.
The forecast at the beginning of the week pointed towards an all-snow event. But now that ice looks possible, that makes power loss more likely and the work for crews trickier.
DC, Maryland, Virginia winter weather checklist: How to prepare for snow and ice this weekend
"With that weight comes more potential to bring down power lines and cause outages for customers," said Rob Spelman with Pepco.
Icy conditions, wind and frigid temperatures can also create safety issues for teams. It's another reason they're preaching patience for people who lose power.
What they're saying:
"For us, safety is our number one priority. Obviously, there's a little anxiety going into an event like this because we know our crews are going to be exposed to the weather and very difficult travel conditions, and we know when the power goes out everyone wants it back sooner rather than later. So, safety is going to be number one. We're going to be mindful of what the weather is, we're going to be protective of our crews to make sure that everything we're doing for them is putting us in a position to restore power and they can do so safely," said Tammy Sanford with Pepco.