CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Appalachian Power was announced as an Edison Electric Institute (EEI) Emergency Response Award recipient last week. Presented to EEI member companies twice a year, the Emergency Response Awards recognize recovery and assistance efforts of electric companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process. The awards were presented during EEI's winter Board of Directors and CEO meeting.
EEI awarded Appalachian Power its prestigious Emergency Response Award for its Hurricane Helene response just five months after recognizing the company for its response effort after a historical weather event struck parts of West Virginia in the Spring of 2024.
"Throughout 2024, America's electric companies and their dedicated workforce answered the call to help restore power and hope to communities impacted by extreme weather events and natural disasters," said EEI interim President and CEO Pat Vincent-Collawn. "EEI commends Appalachian Power for its efforts to respond safely and efficiently to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Appalachian Power and its storm response team are extremely deserving of this well-earned recovery award."
After the winds subsided and flood waters receded on Sept. 27, Hurricane Helene would be the most destructive storm to strike Appalachian Power's three-state service area since the 2012 derecho. It was also the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Some 282,000 homes and businesses lost electric service, including nearly 176,000 in Virginia, 85,000 in West Virginia and over 21,000 in Tennessee.
Over 10 days, crews put in an estimated 1 million hours of work to rebuild the company's heavily damaged grid. Workers faced historic flooding, fallen trees and debris, and road and bridge closures to restore service. In total, crews replaced 1,485 poles, including 100 by helicopter, 214 miles of wire and 471 transformers, among thousands of other critical pieces of electrical infrastructure.
"We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped us restore power following Hurricane Helene, including the line workers from 27 states who answered our call for mutual assistance," said Aaron Walker, Appalachian Power president & COO. "This award reflects Appalachian Power's team's commitment to the communities we serve, and I commend EEI for recognizing the hard work of our employees and business partners."
About EEI
EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for nearly 250 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 70 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members.
About Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power has 1.1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is part of American Electric Power, which is focused on building a smarter energy infrastructure and delivering new technologies and custom energy solutions. AEP’s approximately 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation’s largest electricity transmission system and more than 225,000 miles of distribution lines to efficiently deliver safe, reliable power to nearly 5.6 million customers in 11 states. AEP is also one of the nation’s largest electricity producers with nearly 29,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including approximately 6,100 megawatts of renewable energy.