Story Category: Live Updates »

Cause of outages: Trees and branches have knocked down power lines and broken more than 50 poles in areas throughout Southern Maryland.

All transmission facilities, substations, and feeder lines have been energized

Number of Outages at 2:30 a.m. on 6-30-12  

Calvert County-12,000   

Charles County-36,760   

Pr. George’s County-3,100 

St. Mary’s County-9,885   

Total-61,745   

Number of Outages at 8 p.m. on 6-30-12 

Calvert County-4,200   

Charles County-15,100   

Pr. George’s County-2,200 

St. Mary’s County-913   

Total-22,400

Number of Outages at 9 a.m. on 7-1-12 

Calvert County-2,400   

Charles County-11,600   

Pr. George’s County-1,900 

St. Mary’s County-451   

Total-16,351   

Number of Outages at 6 p.m. on 7-1-12

Calvert County-848

Charles County-6,800

Pr. George’s County-1,200

St. Mary’s County-43

Total-8,891

Major restoration efforts continue. As of   6 p.m. Sunday, SMECO had about 8,891     customer-members without power.The most heavily affected area is Charles County with 6,800     customers without power. Approximately 848 customers in Calvert County, 1,200 in Prince George’s County, and 43 in St. Mary’s County are without power.

All of SMECO’s transmission lines, substations, and feeder lines are energized. The cooperative’s phone lines are open and all communications and computer systems are working.

Fifty-four SMECO crews worked all day Sunday and emergency crews will work throughout the night. Twenty-one additional contract crews from Pike, Penn Line, and C.W. Wright, along with two crews from Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation and Roanoake Electric Cooperative in North Carolina are assisting with restoration efforts. The majority of SMECO’s customer-members should have power restored by Monday. Some customers in Charles and Prince George’s counties may not have power restored until Tuesday.

“The damage from this storm has been severe. Our crews continue to make significant progress in very difficult conditions,” said SMECO President and CEO Austin J. Slater, Jr. “We are confident that all of our customer-members will have power restored so they can enjoy their 4th of July holiday.”

SMECO’s outage restoration policy is to make repairs that will restore service to the most people in the least amount of time. Transmission lines and substations are repaired first, followed by distribution lines that feed neighborhoods. Tap lines and individual service lines are then repaired to restore power to customers who may still be without electricity.

Customers without power should call SMECO’s Outage Hotline at 1-877-74-SMECO
or 1-877-747-6326. Customers are reminded to use generators outdoors, use gas and charcoal grills outdoors, and use flashlights instead of candles.