Four days after a team of more than 100 OG&E line workers and support personnel deployed to Georgia, crews continue making progress in restoring power safely to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. After completing restoration work in the Atlanta area late Saturday night, the crews were reassigned to Waynesboro, Georgia, about 30 miles south of Augusta. Crews are also making progress in Sardis, a nearby town.

The damage in Waynesboro was extensive, with large-scale wind and flood damage leaving the community without power for days.

"The amount of destruction and damage is extensive, and more people are getting their power each day. We will be here for a while. This is not so much a restoration effort, it's a rebuilding effort," said Chris Bristol, Distribution Construction Manager. "We are literally going in and building entire lines which takes time especially when you're having to clear the damage out of your way to do so. We are here for the long haul and are here to get everybody's power on and will continue working every day until we do." 

The team has been working 16-hour shifts to restore power to customers while navigating extensive tree damage, persisting flooding conditions, and many road closures. Currently, the community does not have access to the internet, but crews are able to communicate through radios and cell phones. 

"Our crews are continuing to help restore power and rebuild communities devastated by Hurricane Helene, and have already moved from the Atlanta area to communities south of Augusta," said Chad Guthrie Director of Distribution Construction. "We've had a lot of support from the locals in Waynesboro and Sardis who are offering water, meals, and other help to our teams. We know that restoring power to those in Georgia is critical, and with more than 563,000 customers still without power, we will continue to work as quickly and safely as possible to re-energize these communities."