Santee Cooper restores power for 70,000 customers after Hurricane Ian

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WMBF) - Santee Cooper crews worked around the clock after Hurricane Ian left many in the Grand Strand without power over the weekend.

A representative for Santee Cooper, Tracy Vreeland, said that crews worked to restore power to all residential and commercial customers, which included 34 contract line crews and 12 tree crews. They restored and replaced 20 power poles and 32 transformers.

The power was restored to 70,000 customers within 54 hours of Ian’s landfall in Winyah Bay in Georgetown County. Santee Cooper said all who lost power as a result of Ian had power restored by Sunday at 8:02 p.m.

“This was an immense effort for our crews and the mutual aid and contract crews that came to help,” said Mike Poston, Chief Customer Officer. “We are so thankful for the patience and kind words of our customers as we worked diligently to get everyone powered up.”

Ian also knocked out 12 transmission lines which affected six different electric cooperatives, including Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Santee Electric Cooperative, Marlboro Electric Cooperative, Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Horry Electric Cooperative and Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative.

Vreeland said The Pinopolis Lock on Lake Moultrie at Jefferies Hydroelectric Station, which was closed as a precaution for Hurricane Ian, is now open to boaters.