STANLY COUNTY — Over 13,000 were without electricity last week in Stanly and Cabarrus counties after flooding from severe storms on Jan. 9 knocked out power two days later.
Early on the morning of Jan. 11, a transmission structure was damaged by flood water from the Rocky River in eastern Cabarrus County, according to Union Power Cooperative.
The electric utility company responded quickly, using multiple work crews to resolve the vast majority of the power outages by the end of the day; Union Power finalized all restoration efforts for its members by 10 p.m.
Officials said that heavy rains caused the river to spill over the banks and saturate the ground, causing a power pole to fall over and knock out a transmission system that carries power to Oakboro, Locust, Stanfield, Mt. Pleasant and Harrisburg.
Union Power’s outage map showed that customers were without power since 4 a.m. on Jan. 11.
The outage hit West Stanly Middle and Hickory Ridge Elementary Schools Thursday, but crews worked to reroute services so that those schools were given temporary service to avoid closures.
Prior to the transmission system outage, tens of thousands of people across the Carolinas lost power during the initial wave of rain and storms on Jan. 9 that caused damage and flooding.
“During the recent outage, the true power of our membership came to light in an unexpected, yet remarkable way,” Union Power addressed the situation on its social media page. “It wasn’t just about the electricity; it was about the support and unity of our members. In moments like these, we see what truly matters. Your patience, understanding, and encouraging words were not just appreciated, they were inspiring.”
Union Power recommends that its customers report all future outages by calling or texting ‘out’ to 800-794-4423. Additionally, an interactive map of service updates can be accessed at outage.union-power.com.
The company’s statement continued: “Each message of support, every understanding nod, and all the shared moments of resilience have shown us the incredible strength of our Union Power family. A heartfelt thank you to each one of you for being more than just members; you are the pillars of our community. Your support during challenging times is the most telling testament to the bond we share. Together, we don’t just restore power – we strengthen the bonds that power our community.”
Headquartered in Monroe, Union Power Cooperative is an electric distribution cooperative that serves over 80,000 member accounts in Union, Stanly, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Rowan counties. Incorporated in 1939, UPC is a not-for-profit organization maintaining nearly 6,500 total miles of lines as one of the largest and fastest growing cooperatives in the state.