The recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene have mobilized more than 230 lineworkers and contractors from Kentucky’s Electric Cooperatives, who joined forces with 18 crews from other states to help restore power across Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
This marks the largest mutual aid response in the history of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, surpassing even the scale of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath.
Joe Arnold, vice president of Kentucky Electric Cooperatives, emphasized the unprecedented nature of the storm, noting the immense challenges crews have faced.
Beyond rebuilding broken infrastructure, workers have had to contend with severe flooding and landslides that have wiped away roads, isolating communities and hindering access to critical areas.
In collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers and co-op engineers, crews have worked to reroute systems to restore power.
While some workers have spent weeks away from their families, there are signs that progress is being made, and a few teams are beginning to return home as the situation gradually improves.