Minnesota Public Power Crews Await the Storm in Florida

Back to All News

Minnesota Public Power Crews Await the Storm in Florida

September 3, 2019

Minnesota municipal utility lineworkers were among the ‘public power’ utility crews arriving in Florida and other parts of the Southeast over the past several days, in advance of Hurricane Dorian.

An MMUA-organized contingent of 42, including lineworkers, a fleet mechanic and safety and training staffers Cody Raveling and James Monroe, has arrived in Kissimmee, Fla., and is awaiting the storm. (Kissimmee is located some 60 miles inland from the Atlantic coast, midway up the Florida peninsula.)

The overall ‘mutual aid’ effort is overseen by the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC), which noted that utilities were pre-positioning workers and equipment in the areas most likely to be hit by the storm.

As of Aug. 31, all pre-staging resource needs had been met, the ESCC said. Florida public power has received commitments from approximately 1,500 lineworkers from 20 states, said the Florida Municipal Electric Association.

The storm track remains uncertain. Depending on the damage the MMUA-organized crews confront in Florida, they may move up the coast to help Santee Cooper in South Carolina or ElectriCities of North Carolina.

The American Public Power Association is holding daily Mutual Aid Working Group planning conference calls. Participating in these calls is MMUA’s Mike Willetts.

Along with the Mutual Aid Working Group calls, APPA’s Mutual Aid Team coordinates with industry partners at the Edison Electric Institute and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, as well as the DOE.

More information and updates will be posted to APPA’s Storm Center at www.PublicPower.org/StormCenter.

Thank You, Annual Sponsors

View all Annual Sponsors

Hometown Connections Helps MMUA Members

Hometown Connections is an American Public Power Association subsidiary that provides products and services designed to help municipal utilities meet today's new and pressing industry challenges. MMUA is a Hometown Connections Affiliate.

For information on AMI, operations, cyber-security, business strategy, customer care, finance and workforce issues, click on the Hometown Connections logo!