December 7, 2022

Wednesday Update: REMC Achieves Full Restoration

Updated December 7, 2022, Noon

On Wednesday, December 7, at 10:41 a.m., Randolph Electric Membership Corporation confirmed that all Moore County members had permanent access to full power. This restoration occurred ahead of schedule, thanks to the work of a dedicated group of individuals who have clocked 24-hour shifts since the beginning of the outage. Randolph EMC line personnel were joined by contract line crews working for Lee Electrical Construction and Pike Electric. Tree trimming crews from Branching Out, Big Oak Underbrush and Lewis Tree played a major role in clearing rights of way for the newly constructed line.

Early this morning, most REMC members in the affected area received power then experienced brief interruptions. These necessary interruptions allowed Randolph Electric engineers to de-energize the line and return the system to its original configuration. Duke Energy restored power to REMC assets around 7:30 this morning. REMC employees tested lines and equipment for safety prior to energization.

During the extended, multi-day outage, REMC rotated a limited, alternate power supply through newly constructed tie-lines. The cooperative asked Moore County members to conserve energy to reduce load levels and prevent further interruptions. It is important to note that REMC is no longer asking members to conserve electricity. All members should experience full capacity power, now that their delivery has returned to normal.

Randolph Electric would like to thank Duke Energy for their excellent partnership and communication, the Moore County Sheriff's Department for their diligence and aid, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation for closing a road so we could build temporary tie-lines during the outage.

Randolph EMC would also like to thank our members in Moore County for their patience and kindness to our line personnel during this outage. You were our top priority, and we did not rest until your power was restored.

There's a light at the end of the tunnel," said Dale Lambert, CEO of REMC. "And that light is a light bulb."

Today is a big day," he continued. "We have been looking forward to bringing our system back to normal operation. Today we put the system back together and are bringing reliable power to our members once again."

Members who have any concern about their power are encouraged to call REMC to report any problems.

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Tuesday Evening Update: REMC Continues Rotation, Plans for Full Restoration

Updated December 6, 2022, 6 pm

On Tuesday, December 6, REMC rotated a limited power supply among Moore County members affected by the Duke transmission outage. After completing the construction of two tie-lines, Randolph Electric will continue this rotating restoration to sections of the service area and will monitor load levels around the clock until we receive word of transmission line repair.

Below is a video of our crews constructing the tie-lines that are delivering a limited power supply to Moore County members.

Looking ahead, REMC will alert all members affected by the outage when we have word that Duke's restoration timeline is close to completion. REMC will send texts and emails to members, in addition to posting on social media and updating here on our website.

Moore County members should note: in order to restore power on our traditional delivery lines, we must de-energize power completely on the newly constructed lines. Then REMC will check equipment on our traditional lines to ensure safe delivery. We will then restore power fully to our Moore County members.

We apologize for this anticipated power outage, but we will communicate with members during this time so they know what to expect.

REMC appreciates the patience of our members as they go through this challenging time. We will not rest until our members have fully restored power.

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Tuesday Morning Update: 100% of Residential Members with Rotating Power Intervals

Updated December 6, 2022, 10 am

Tuesday, Dec. 6, morning update:

At 12:27 a.m., REMC and contracted crews completed the construction of the Seven Lakes tie-in and were able to deliver power to the local substation. Construction of the first tie-line was completed Sunday night.

At 4:48 a.m., power was restored to the entire Seven Lakes community.

This time on Tuesday morning also marked the completion of our first goal: to deliver at least some level of power to 100% of our members in the affected area.

Our immediate goal is to continue to provide power to members in Moore County in rotating 2-3 hour intervals. We regret that this power is limited and that this service will have intervals of interruption.

Continuous, uninterrupted power supply will occur only when Duke has fully repaired their transmission lines. Duke currently estimates this restoration to be complete some time on Thursday, December 8th.

During this difficult period, we ask members in the affected area to conserve as much energy as possible. Please consider lowering thermostats and turning off water heater breakers. This will keep our power load levels low and prevent further interruptions to your service.

To clarify, if you are a member and you do not live in Moore County, your conservation efforts will not impact the members there. Only those members who live in Moore County can impact the power load.

I want to commend the REMC team on their ingenuity and hard work to restore some level of power to our members," stated Dale Lambert, CEO of REMC. "I also want to thank the NC Department of Transportation for closing a road, allowing us to work much faster on Monday to construct this tie line."

I have a special message for our cooperative family members in Moore County today," he continued. "You are in our thoughts and prayers. We have provided you with rotating intervals of power, but we will not rest until you are fully restored. Please know that you are our top priority."

Please stay tuned to REMC social media channels and this website.

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Restoration Update: Monday Afternoon

Updated December 5, 2022, 4 pm

Video from the field: REMC CEO Dale Lambert explains the restoration process

Rotating Restoration

As REMC continues work on the multi-day, extended outage in Moore County, some members will experience periods of restored power, followed by periods of power loss. Please be aware that this is expected as REMC crews continue to build a system capable of handling the power demands of the outage area.

Since the transmission line failure, REMC crews have worked around the clock to upgrade and build two tie lines to deliver electric service to members affected by the Moore County outage. As members receive power, the overall electric load increases. The back feeding system REMC is building can provide power for intervals of time but not continuously.

On Sunday, Randolph Electric completed upgrades to one pre-existing tie line. This allowed the tie line to accommodate higher voltage loads. Today, crews are building a new tie line and erecting poles to cover almost three miles of territory. Once complete, the new tie line will allow REMC to back feed power to additional members.

Overall, the Moore County outage has affected 2,768 members. REMC has restored power to 1,276 total members at various times and for limited durations. Due to the capacity available, Randolph EMC has implemented a rotating restoration process for parts of the outage area.

REMC has all crews working and has acquired additional contractor crews to complete the construction work as quickly as possible. REMC anticipates the work may take until Wednesday to provide power at varying times to most of our impacted members.

How to Conserve Energy

As members receive power, we ask them to conserve energy. REMC can provide power to more members if the overall load remains relatively low. Members can conserve energy by lowering their thermostat setting and by flipping off their water heater breaker. REMC recognizes that this is an inconvenience, but this temporary situation will end as soon as the main transmission lines are back up and running.

REMC will communicate directly with members from our medical concerns list. In addition, REMC will update the public and our members through direct email to members, social media announcements and through our mobile app regarding the outage. The public should note that REMC’s online outage viewer will show some inaccuracies during this restoration. As our engineers manually reroute power between circuits to manage the load, the viewer may display outages in the wrong locations.

Dale Lambert, REMC CEO stated,

I want to commend our team for working around the clock and finding a creative solution to bring power to our members. Our hearts go out to those affected by this criminal attack on the grid. We will get you power as quickly and safely as possible.”

REMC will communicate directly with members from our medical concerns list. In addition, REMC will update our members through direct email and texts and will update the public through social media announcements and website news posts regarding the outage.

For those impacted by the outage, Moore County has opened an emergency shelter at 155 Hillcrest Park in Carthage. If transportation is needed to the shelter, call 910-947-6317.

We would like to thank our member-owners for their patience and cooperation as we work to restore their power as quickly and safely as possible.

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Rolling Restoration Plan: Monday Morning

Updated December 5, 2022, 8 am

Your Randolph EMC crews continue power restoration efforts in southern Moore County. Late yesterday afternoon, crews were able to complete the first tie line and restore power to a section of the outage area for a limited time. At 10:27 pm on Sunday, December 4, power was restored to 282 total members, and as of this morning, we have 2,210 members out of power.

Throughout Monday, crews will build a tie line over a nearly three-mile span to bring power eventually to the Seven Lakes community. During this time, different sections of the outage area may receive power for intermittent periods of time, as power is only available in limited capacity.

Our goal is to bring some level of power to all members impacted by this outage, even though it may be intermittent.

How Members Can Help: Conserving Electricity

Members affected by this outage have an important role in the success of our restoration efforts. It is critical that members use only what power is necessary. Members can do the following:

Lower your thermostat temperature and
turn off the water heater breaker

to help ensure that more members receive power for longer periods of time.

We ask that you continue power conservation efforts until power is fully restored to the Duke transmission line. We'll communicate that message immediately, once conditions have changed. Please stay tuned to REMC communication channels for updates.

Shelter Information

If you have loved ones in the outage area that are elderly or have special needs that require assistance, Moore County has opened an emergency shelter at 155 Hillcrest Park in Carthage. If transportation is needed to the shelter, call 910-947-6317.

We would like to thank our member-owners for their patience and cooperation as we work to restore their power as quickly and safely as possible.

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REMC Requests Members Conserve, Prepare for Interruptions during Restoration

Updated December 4, 2022, 9:30 pm

As REMC continues to work on the Moore County outage, some members will experience periods of restored power, followed by periods of power loss.

Essentially, REMC can power one section of members affected by the Moore County outage at a time. As the overall electric load increases, the back feeding system cannot provide power to all sections of affected members simultaneously. This means that those who had power restored will experience outage periods again during the night. Please be aware that this is expected as REMC crews continue to build a system capable of handling the power demands of the outage area.

Because of these load considerations, REMC asks members to conserve energy as much as possible. Members can conserve energy by keeping their thermostat at a low setting and by flipping off their water heater breaker. We realize that this is an inconvenience, but voluntary conservation will allow more members to receive power. This temporary situation will end as soon as the main transmission lines are back up and running. We appreciate your patience as we rebuild the grid around the damaged system. Please be assured that our crews are working as quickly as possible to restore your power.

We will continue to keep you updated as the restoration process progresses.

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REMC Restores 246 Members, Requests Conservation

Updated December 4, 2022, 6:30 pm

ASHEBORO, NC - In completing work on the first of two tie lines, REMC has restored power to 246 members. Those members received power at 5:30 pm. Crews worked quickly to upgrade hardware and equipment on this line to prep it for a higher voltage capacity.

REMC estimates that 2,404 members remain without power, but we anticipate more restorations through the night. Crews will continue to build a second tie line that will establish power for most of our members affected in the Moore County outage. This process will continue through the coming days until REMC can back feed electricity to those members. Duke Energy, also, is working to repair its transmission line after the vandalism of its substations.

As members receive power, we ask them to reduce their total electric consumption through conservation. REMC can bring on more members if the overall load remains relatively low. Members can conserve energy by keeping their thermostat at the lowest possible setting and by flipping off their water heater breaker. REMC recognizes that this is an inconvenience, but voluntary conservation will allow more members to receive power. This temporary situation will end as soon as the main transmission lines are back up and running.

We will continue to keep you updated as the restoration process progresses.

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REMC Advances Plan to Restore Outage from Vandalism

Updated December 4, 2022, 5 pm

ASHEBORO, NC – On the evening of Saturday, December 3, Duke Energy alerted Randolph Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) of a transmission line failure. Outages have impacted at least 2,650 members in the Eastwood, Seven Lakes, West End and Carthage areas of our service territory. As REMC continues to work with Duke Energy, we are preparing for an extended, multi-day outage.

Criminal acts of vandalism caused the outages at the Duke Energy substations. As of Sunday, December 4, REMC reported no vandalism to any of our substations. Various law enforcement entities are investigating the crime.

REMC’s Plan to Restore Power

The transmission line failure means that REMC distribution lines cannot provide power through normal delivery processes. REMC’s goal is to restore our 2,650 members as quickly and safely as possible. To accomplish this, REMC has begun work to build two tie lines of electric distribution. Both of these tie lines were slated for construction in REMC’s work plan. This outage has accelerated the necessity of moving up these plans from future goals to immediate projects.

REMC has called in all crews and acquired additional contractor crews to complete the construction work as quickly as possible. Crews will upgrade one pre-existing tie line from single-phase to a three-phase power supply to accommodate higher voltage loads. The other tie line will be new construction. Crews will change out and erect a large number of poles and cover almost three miles of territory in this fast-moving project. Once complete, these new tie lines will allow REMC to back feed power to areas where members are experiencing an outage.

As REMC provides restoration, we ask these 2,650 affected members to conserve as much energy as possible. To provide some level of electricity, REMC will need for members to use only as much electricity as is absolutely necessary. This temporary restriction will enable REMC to provide some level of power until Duke can safely restore their transmission line.

REMC anticipates the work may take until Wednesday to restore most of our impacted members. However, some members could be restored by Sunday night, December 4, and more members will have their power restored as the project moves forward.

Dale Lambert, REMC CEO, stated,

I want to commend our team for their creativity in designing a solution that repairs the grid after this reprehensible act of vandalism. I also want to thank the Moore County Sheriff’s office for their quick action to defend substations after this attack.”

Lambert continued,

I also need to thank Duke Energy for the work they are doing to repair their transmission line and for the close communication we have had in this team effort. REMC will continue to work to restore power as quickly and safely as possible for our members impacted by this crime. We encourage our members to watch our communications for updates.”

You can listen to more of Dale Lambert's message by clicking on the video below.

Message from CEO Dale Lambert on Moore County Outage - 12/04/2022

We appreciate the patience of our members during this unexpected and unfortunate criminal event. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Moore County Sheriff’s Department at (910) 947-2931.

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Statement on Outage from Vandalism

Updated December 4, 2022, 9:40 am

Asheboro, NC - On the evening of Saturday, December 3, Duke Energy alerted Randolph Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) of a transmission line failure. Outages have impacted at least 2,650 members in the Eastwood, Seven Lakes, West End and Carthage areas of our service territory. REMC continues to work with Duke Energy to understand the estimated time of restoration. As of Sunday morning, December 4, Duke has signaled that they anticipate an extended outage of undetermined length.

This situation is unique in that it appears the outage was caused by criminal acts, specifically vandalism at Duke Energy substations. An investigation by Moore County deputies and other law enforcement is underway to find those who are responsible.

The transmission line failure means that REMC distribution lines cannot provide power through normal delivery processes. We are pursuing every avenue to resolve this situation as quickly and effectively as possible.

REMC employees will continue to communicate with members from our medical concerns list. In addition, REMC will update the public and our members through direct email to members, social media announcements and through our mobile app regarding the outage.

We appreciate the patience of our members during this unexpected and unfortunate criminal event.

Reporting Outages

Members who experience a power outage can report it by calling 1-877-736-2633 (1-877-REMC-OFF). Members who have enrolled in REMC’s alert outage texting program, SPOTT (Status of Power Outages Through Texts), may also text OUT to this number to report an outage at their location. These members should note that outage status updates will be unavailable during major outage restoration efforts.

Throughout a large outage, Randolph EMC offers several options for keeping members informed:

Follow Randolph EMC on Facebook and Twitter
View the online outage map at https://Outages.RandolphEMC.com
Find the latest press releases, alerts and preparedness tips here on our website at RandolphEMC.com
Tune in to local TV and radio stations for the latest updates