Power Disruptions Across the Midlands
As Hurricane Helene sweeps through the southeastern United States, tens of thousands of residents in the Midlands are experiencing power outages. The storm is bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall, leading to significant disruptions.
Outage Statistics
According to reports from Bluefire Studios’ outage map, over 140,000 residents in South Carolina were without power as of early morning. The hardest-hit areas include the southern counties, such as Beaufort, Jasper, Colleton, and Hampton. However, several thousand customers in the Midlands are also affected.
Dominion Energy Customers Affected
Richland County alone is reporting more than 36,000 outages, primarily affecting Dominion Energy customers, which accounts for approximately 18% of the county’s logged users. Meanwhile, Lexington County has over 45,000 customers without power, representing around 29% of all registered customers in that area.
Additional County Reports
- Saluda County: Over 57% of residents are without power, with more than 8,000 outages reported, mainly from Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative.
- Newberry County: Reports indicate over 4,000 outages, affecting 37% of tracked customers.
- Sumter County: Approximately 7,000 residents are without electricity, primarily Duke Energy customers, representing about 30% of logged customers.
- Orangeburg County: Over 9,000 outages, making up nearly a third of all tracked customers, mainly from Orangeburg Public Utilities.
- Calhoun and Fairfield Counties: Each reported around 1,000 outages, while Kershaw and Clarendon Counties both logged over 2,000 outages.
Storm Progress and Impact
Hurricane Helene made landfall around 11:20 p.m. Thursday, with sustained winds of approximately 85 mph, and is projected to move towards the Georgia/Tennessee border. The First Alert Weather team has indicated that most of the Midlands’ rainfall is expected to occur overnight into Friday morning.
Stay Updated
In addition to the power outages, various road closures and schedule changes for schools and state offices have been reported due to the storm’s impact. For more detailed information on Hurricane Helene and its effects in the Midlands, stay tuned to local news updates.