Cheyenne, Wyoming. -Sept. 14, 2017-Linemen from Black Hills Energy in Wyoming and Colorado are now in Florida assisting with power recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma, the company announced today.

'We were honored to answer the call to join our sister utilities in restoring power to the families and businesses impacted by this devastating hurricane,' said Shirley Welte, vice president of operations for Black Hills Energy. 'Mutual assistance is a hallmark of our industry, where utilities band together to help each other out during times like this when it is critical to get the power restored safely and as quickly as possible.'

As of Sept. 12, nearly 60,000 workers from more than 250 investor-owned electric companies, public power companies and electric cooperatives from across the U.S. and Canada are now supporting the Irma restoration efforts, according to Edison Electric Institute (EEI).

The effort required to rebuild the electric system could take several months as essential infrastructure was destroyed or badly damaged and thousands of power poles were downed during what has been characterized as the strongest storm in Florida's history.

'Our crews are absolutely dedicated to the safety of the customers, communities and fellow utility workers supporting this effort,' said Welte. 'They are working under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions and we are very proud of their service. We wish them a safe return to their families and friends.'

Follow the journey of our deployment teams on Black Hills Energy's Facebook and Twitter.

You can find information about safety around downed or damaged power lines here.

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Black Hills Corporation published this content on 15 September 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 15 September 2017 17:33:06 UTC.

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