ROANOKE, Va., February 10, 2008 – More than 75,0000 Appalachian Power Virginia customers lost electricity by mid-day Sunday as high winds blew across the company’s service territory, knocking down trees and sending debris into power lines.
 
Weather reports show that the restoration effort will be complicated with continuing high winds in the worst hit areas throughout Sunday night and early Monday. For this reason, and because new outages continue to be reported, the company is asking customers without power to prepare for a lengthy outage.  Most customers should have power by midnight Tuesday, but some more severely damaged parts of the Roanoke Valley may be without power until midnight Wednesday.
 

		Customers Currently Without Power 2/10/08 5:15 PM Christiansburg, VA 600 Fieldale area, VA 3,700 Floyd, VA 350 Lovingston area, VA 1,100 Lynchburg area, VA 7,500 Pearisburg, VA 1,000 Pulaski, VA 4,400 Roanoke, VA 41,000 Rocky Mount, VA 6,600 Stuart, VA 600 Woodlawn, VA 6,000 Wytheville, VA 2,300 Total 75,150 Note: Times shown are EST
		Safety Messages Severe weather can cause power lines to snap or poles to come down. Fallen power lines are dangerous because they carry an electric current that can cause serious or fatal injury. Never touch a fallen wire, no matter how harmless it looks. And keep others away from the potential hazard as well. If you encounter fallen wires, stay away from them and immediately contact Appalachian Power. In the event of a major power interruption, life-support customers are encouraged to contact Appalachian Power’s toll-free customer service number to advise our representatives of their situation. Due to the nature of restoration activity, Appalachian Power cannot assure priority restoration for life-support customers. Life-support customers are advised to take precautionary measures to protect themselves in the event of a power loss. Contact relatives or friends for assistance or temporary accommodations in the event of a prolonged outage. Keep emergency phone numbers (physicians, hospitals, safety services, utilities) posted near your telephone.
		Status of Restoration Efforts Appalachian crews are focused on clearing hazardous conditions and assessing damage. Additional company and contract crews from outside of the area are being called in to assist in the restoration.  Appalachian anticipates significant storm recovery progress Monday and Tuesday and having all customers´ service restored by midnight Wednesday.
		Customer Information Customers are reminded that during storm restoration situations, Appalachian Power tree crews clear rights of way of trees and move on to the next location. Appalachian Power does not return to remove the cut trees. Property owners are responsible for brush removal. Electric consumers who have had power restored are asked to turn on their porch lights so that patrolling service technicians can better spot residences that are still without power in the neighborhood.
		Customer Calls Virginia Customer Service Phone: 800-956-4237

 
Appalachian Power provides electricity to 1 million customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee (as AEP Appalachian Power). It is a unit of American Electric Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, with more than 5 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation’s largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 36,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, a nearly 39,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. 

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Editor’s Note: Updated power outage information is posted updated every three minutes on http://www.appalachianpower.com/news/outages/                                      
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