Evacuation Moves Forward while CHEC Continues Work to Provide Temporary Power – Outage Update for Saturday, 12 p.m.
Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative (CHEC) is focusing its efforts today on ensuring that all residents on Hatteras Island have continuous temporary power.
Per Laura Ertle, Director of Public Relations for CHEC, all of the circuits for Avon and all villages south have been energized, and no rolling blackouts are expected for these areas.
There are still some circuits out in tri-villages, however, and all of the crews have been sent to the Waves substation in order to get power to these residents today.
“Because of the evacuation, the load is much more reasonable,” said Ertle. “As terrible as the evacuation is, it takes a lot of pressure off of us.”
She noted that residents should continue to conserve power, and should cut off their A/C units.
CHEC continues to work with multiple agencies at the site of the damaged cable near Oregon Inlet, in order to bring permanent restoration to the island as soon as possible. As of 12 p.m. on Saturday, the site was still being excavated, but an update may be available later today.
The mandatory evacuation for Hatteras Island began at 6 a.m. this morning, and a checkpoint has been established near the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center on the northern side of the Bonner Bridge. Seasonal workers, residents, and property owners are being allowed on the island, but visitors are being turned away at the checkpoint.
Island Free Press will continue to post updates as soon as they are available.
