SECO Energy Makes Significant Progress in Hurricane Milton Restoration
SECO Energy made significant progress in restoring electric service to accounts affected by Hurricane Milton that crossed through Central Florida. Hurricane Milton was a powerful Category 3 storm that caused power outages for over 3.3 million Florida consumers. At the peak, over 100,000 members’ service was interrupted.
SECO Energy’s massive restoration effort launched in the early morning hours of Thursday, October 10. SECO crews, joined by over 1,000 outside line and tree crews, got to work. On the first day of restoration, the team restored over 55,000 accounts. As Florida requires, all hospitals, emergency shelters, assisted living facilities, and government entities that provide public assistance were restored by the cooperative on day one. All transmission lines were restored as well.
Your safety is our priority. After a storm of any magnitude, downed poles and fallen trees could be dangerous. Live wires may be wrapped up in fallen trees and could electrocute someone who touches the branches. Wire on the ground may still be energized and could kill. Do not approach downed lines, call 911 immediately or contact SECO Energy or the local utility.
As restoration enters the second day, generator safety becomes a top concern. Members who use a generator during service interruptions should only do so with safety in mind. Generators should never be used in an enclosed space – generator engines emit carbon monoxide (CO). If CO is inhaled, it can be fatal to humans and pets, as it is a colorless, odorless, invisible killer. Do not attempt to use a generator when it is wet, as this poses a risk for electrocution and death. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions contained in the generator operations manual.
“SECO Energy has made significant progress – over 55,000 accounts were restored in less than 24 hours. We know there are thousands of members who are still waiting for restoration, and we care about each one of them,” said Curtis Wynn, Chief Executive Officer of SECO Energy. “Our entire working crew is doing their best to serve every member whether they are working in the field, answering phones, or providing office support; please continue to be patient with them. This is a team effort to restore service for all affected. Safety is a top priority during outage restoration. There are poles and trees still down in our service area and they are out today in full force across our service area to continue restoring service.”
As of early Friday morning, SECO Energy had just over 45,000 accounts without electric service. Crews are working around the clock, stopping only for meals and sleep periods. While crews are spread out across SECO’s service area, there is a concentrated effort today in the Paisley area, St. John’s, Rainbow Lakes, Marion Oaks, Lake Panasoffkee, Citrus County, and south Lake County.
For outage reporting and updates, SECO Energy offers StormCenter, an outage and communications platform. Members can report outages, check the status of an outage, and sign up for alerts via email, text, or phone. Visit SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter and bookmark the page for quick access.
SECO Energy remains dedicated to restoring power and ensuring the safety of its members during this critical time.
SECO Energy Hurricane Milton restoration:
