A. Berl Davis Jr. President and Chief Executive Officer When storms strike

August 1, 2026

 

Hurricane season is here, and while we all hope for calm skies, the Lowcountry knows firsthand that severe weather can strike at any time.

At Palmetto Electric, preparation begins long before a storm appears in the forecast. We work year-round to maintain our system, upgrade infrastructure and train employees. But even with careful planning and preparation, powerful storms can still bring down trees, damage equipment and cause widespread outages.

When that happens, restoration requires careful planning and a strong commitment to safety. To help you better understand what happens following a major storm, here are a few facts you might not know about power restoration.

  • We need to hear from you. While Palmetto Electric uses technology to identify outages, reporting your outage helps us respond more quickly and accurately. Members can easily report outages by calling PowerTouch at 1 (866) 445-5551 or through MyEnergy Online and the MyEnergy mobile app. Please do not report outages through social media.

  • Safety comes first. Before crews can restore power, they must safely evaluate the damage. Downed power lines, broken poles, flooding, fallen trees and damaged equipment create hazards that must be identified before repairs can begin.

  • Power restoration is strategic. Following a major storm, our priority is restoring service to the greatest number of members as quickly and safely as possible. Crews first address public safety hazards and critical facilities, then repair major lines and equipment that serve the largest number of members before working on smaller, localized outages. Occasionally, outages originate outside of Palmetto Electric’s distribution system. In those cases, restoration may depend on transmission repairs being completed before power can be restored to our members.

  • Demanding and dangerous. Our crews work in challenging conditions that often include high heat, standing water, debris, damaged trees and high-voltage electricity. We ask drivers to slow down and give crews extra room when passing active work sites.

  • Team effort. Lineworkers are often the face of power restoration, but every outage response depends on our entire team at Palmetto Electric, working behind the scenes. Restoring power requires coordination and communication to ensure crews can safely and efficiently return service to members.

  • Have a plan. Hurricane season is the perfect time for members to review emergency plans and stock supplies. Members who depend on electricity for medical equipment should have an alternative power source or emergency plan prepared before a storm threatens. A complete list of storm safety tips can be found online at palmetto.coop.

If a storm impacts our service area this hurricane season, please know Palmetto Electric is ready to respond. We will work to restore power as safely and quickly as possible, while keeping our members informed.

Storms may be unpredictable, but our commitment to serving our members never changes.

ABD-SIG-1-300x114.jpg.

A. Berl Davis Jr.

President and CEO