News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
In the past 12 hours, the Upper Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation has restored about 4,000 outages in Putnam County.
According to Mayor Randy Porter, about 6,500 customers are still without electricity. The Cookeville Electric Department has less than 300 without power.
Gainesboro Grade, Fisk Road and Quinland Lake Road will need the most work to restore power. Porter said two large breakers need to be repaired or replaced.
“Until they get those main breakers repaired or replaced, they can not turn the power on in those areas,” Porter said. “The area also feeds the area over on Quinland Lake Road, Fisk Road, Highway 111 towards Algood. All that area is feed out of that Gainesboro Grade substation. They are working desperately to get those breakers repaired.”
Work has been ongoing at the substation for a couple days, but once achieved, a large portion of customers will regain electricity.
Brotherton and Buck Mountains have about 500 outages. Porter said fallen trees caused significant damage to this portion of the county.
“The damage in that area with all the trees that has been blown down, blown over and across power lines is massive,” Porter said. “So, they are having to have cutting crews come to that area to help them cut out trees before they can restore the power.”
Porter said some isolated outages could remain in the mountain areas with crews focusing on the main roads.
“You may see your neighbor’s lights being on over on the main road, but you may still be out,” Porter said. “They are going to work on those side streets, and they will work their way all the way up Brotherton Mountain and Buck Mountain until they get all the power on up towards the channel 22 tv tower.”
Porter said crews are still working heavily in the Bowman and Silver Point area. Porter said UCEMC is working from east to west towards Silver Point with the hope of having the majority of power restored by the end of Wednesday.
Most outages in Double Springs and Popular Grove have been restored. Porter said there are a few isolated cases that still need work in this area.
