During Tropical Storm Michael, linemen from Gastonia’s Electric Division were busy reconnecting electric lines in the City torn down by 50-mile-per-hour winds and falling trees.
Soon after, an eight-man team from the City of Gastonia was called into action at the request of Duke Energy. The line crew from Gastonia worked 16-hour shifts getting the power back on in the Salisbury, North Carolina, area.
The City of Gastonia and Duke Energy have a mutual aid agreement to assist each other, providing emergency services after events like hurricanes. “We were ready to step in and provide aid to Duke Energy in the restoration process,” said Joe Albright, director of the City of Gastonia’s Public Utilities Department. “We also got the opportunity to share with customers of an investor-owned utility the public power experience and expertise that underscores our excellent restoration rate.”
