Powering through the storm: how co-ops prepare for hurricane season

Hurricane season in the Southeast is a time when preparation becomes more than just a good idea, it’s essential. Here in South Carolina, the possibility of severe weather is always present. Strong winds, heavy rains and flooding can cause widespread outages and damage to the electric grid.

At Central Electric Power Cooperative, our mission is to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity to our member cooperatives year-round — and that means getting ready long before a storm hits.

Just recently, Broad River Electric Cooperative welcomed teams from Edisto Electric Cooperative, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Little River Electric Cooperative, Laurens Electric Cooperative and York Electric Cooperative for a collaborative discussion on mutual aid coordination, logistical challenges and practical solutions. This included initiatives like creating relationships with local hotels and vendors, identifying fuel partners and designating key emergency point-of-contact employees across departments.

How we and our member co-ops prepare before the first storm forms

Long before a storm appears on the radar, our cooperative teams are:

• Inspecting and reinforcing the system — Crews patrol lines, check substations and trim vegetation around power lines to prevent damage from falling limbs.
• Stocking critical materials — Transformers, poles, wire and other equipment are strategically stored so they can be accessed quickly for restoration.
• Training for rapid response — Employees participate in storm simulations and safety drills to ensure everyone knows their role in a restoration effort.

During and after the storm

When severe weather is imminent, co-ops go into full readiness mode:

• Monitoring weather updates and positioning crews ahead of landfall.
• Restoring power first to critical facilities like hospitals, emergency shelters and water treatment plants before moving to homes and non-essential businesses.

Working together across the co-op network

One of the greatest strengths of the cooperative model is mutual aid — and we’ve seen that in action time and again.

When Hurricane Helene struck in 2024, it left 1.25 million South Carolinians without power, including 425,000 electric co-op members. The storm damaged more than 5,000 power poles, toppled transmission lines and left over 80 substations offline, making it one of the most devastating storms in decades.

Our 19 member-owned co-ops responded immediately. Every cooperative in the state deployed line crews, with 12 co-ops sending mutual aid crews: Berkeley Electric, Black River Electric, Coastal Electric, Edisto Electric, Fairfield Electric, Horry Electric, Lynches River Electric, MPD Electric, Palmetto Electric, Santee Electric, Tri-County Electric and York Electric. Partners like Santee Cooper and Duke Energy played key roles in re-energizing substations.

Help came from far beyond our borders, with crews from 23 states, including California, Maine and Texas, arriving to assist. Our materials supplier, CEEUS, delivered 20–30 truckloads of equipment daily, a response that rivaled Hurricane Hugo’s recovery effort in 1989. This kind of collaboration truly embodies the cooperative principle of “Cooperation among Cooperatives.”

What co-op members can do to prepare

While co-ops work to strengthen the grid and plan for emergencies, our members can take simple steps to protect their home and family:

• Assemble an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, water and nonperishable food.
• Charge your devices ahead of a storm and keep backup power banks ready.
• Stay informed with local news and weather alerts.
• Report outages promptly so crews can prioritize repairs.

Hurricanes test the strength of our communities, but they also reveal the power of working together. By preparing in advance, collaborating with co-ops near and far and staying committed to our members, Central Electric and our cooperative partners ensure we can weather the storm and restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

Together, we’re more than ready for whatever this hurricane season brings.

Stay connected.

Staying informed means staying prepared — before, during and after the storm.

Check The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina’s Storm Outage Map, where you can track power outages by county or cooperative 24/7 to stay informed during severe weather.