Fewer than 3,000 still without power in Big Bend after Hurricane Helene

Image via Facebook (TCEC).

Fewer than 3,000 Florida electric customers remain without power just over a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall.

A 6 a.m. update from the Public Service Commission shows individuals in four counties still await power restoration.

More than half those still in outage conditions live in Taylor County, where 1,500 remain without power. Those people represent 18.94% of Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC) Customers in Taylor County, where Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane late on Sept. 26.

Another 1,300 TCEC customers are without power in neighboring Madison County, 17.11% of customers there. The utility also has 125 customers in Dixie County and 46 in Lafayette County who still need electricity.

Every other power provider in the state has fully restored power at this point.

TCEC issued an update late Thursday on its progress, and stressed work has moved faster than expected. It also released a timeline for some hard-hit coastal areas in Scanlon and Steinhatchee for the first time.

“Service has been fully restored to all meters that can safely receive electricity off of our Boyd and Monticello substations,” the update reads.

“The Sonnie, Aucilla, and Eridu substations are all on schedule for 100% restoration by tomorrow (Friday). Meters served by the Madison substation are on track to be 100% restored by Saturday.

The remaining substations are on schedule for the estimated restoration days shown on the map. “The estimated restoration time for meters served off of our Scanlon substation is Saturday 10/5 and Steinhatchee substation is Sunday 10/6.”

Immediately after the storm, more than a million people lost power statewide.

Yesterday marked a large step forward, with several electric co-ops bringing all remaining customers back online.

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Mike Johnson both toured Florida areas hit by the storm on Thursday. This marks the eighth day without power for many residents.