APCo Prepares for Potential Outages

What You Need to Know 

• A winter storm in expected to bring wet snow, sleet and ice accumulation to much of Appalachian Power’s service territory tomorrow, Jan. 24, through late Sunday, Jan. 25.
• Thousands of personnel, including assessment teams, tree-trimming crews, and line mechanics, are staged and ready to respons should outages occur.
• Ice accumulations over 0.25 inch can weigh down trees and electric lines and cause utility problems.

Situation

Appalachian Power Company (APCo) is prepared for a winter storm expected to impact most of our three-state territory beginning Saturday, Jan. 24, and continuing into late Sunday. The forecast includes wet snow, sleet and ice accumulation, which could cause power outages.

The greatest concern is the likelihood of up to 10 inches of wet snow and light-to-moderate ice (about 0.2 inch) in southern West Virginia, with ice accumulations up to 0.5 inch across much of northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. Ice accumulations over 0.25 inch can weigh down trees and electric lines and cause utility problems. Snow accumulations exceeding 12 inches are predicted in the Wheeling, West Virginia, area.

Severe Weather Safety Reminders

APCo crews are staged and ready to respond if outages occur. Please prepare now:

• Assemble or refresh an emergency kit: non-perishable food, water, flashlight, batteries, battery-powered radio, first-aid kit, required medications, portable chargers, extra cash, blankets, warm clothes and maps. Include pet food and medications.
• Develop and review an emergency plan for your household, especially if you rely on electricity for medical needs. Check on elderly neighbors.
• If using a generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, do not plug it into a wall outlet, run it outdoors and away from windows/doors and ensure working carbon monoxide detectors are in place.
• Stay away from downed lines and anything they may be touching. Call 911 and Appalachian Power at 800-956-4237 immediately to report any safety hazards.
• Make sure your contact information is up to date at AppalachianPower.com/Account.
• Note: Forecasts, threat areas, timeframes and intensities may change.

Staying Connected

• Sign up for Outage Alerts for updates on outages and estimated restoration times (ETRs).
• Download APCo’s free mobile app to easily report an outage or hazard.
• Visit AppalachianPower.com/OutageMap for outage locations and ETRs.
• Follow Appalachian Power on Facebook, X and Instagram for restoration updates.

Next Update

Information will be provided at AppalachianPower.com and through our other communication channels as it becomes available.