Hardest work still ahead for EPB power crews

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – Since Sunday night’s tornado, EPB crews have already restored power to over 51,000 customers.

The 9 mile path of destruction displaced many families whose homes were destroyed.

But it also kept thousands of others without power for most of the week.

Thanks to assistance from utilities from across eight states, EPB has mobilized more than 11-hundred utility workers to help in the restoration.

Unfortunately, some of the heaviest work is still to come.

They are still working to restore approximately 8,500 EPB customers who remain without power.

EPB CEO David Wade says “there’s just a massive amount of damage out there. We currently have over 1,100 folks out in the field actually doing the restoration effort. And, it’s taking such a long time because, when the tornado came through it just took out poles, wires, fiber – everything in it’s path, you know, there are miles of lines just gone.”

Wade says that they will have to re-construct at least 400 more utility poles.

They also need to string more than 50 miles of new power lines to complete the restoration.