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99% Essentially Restored After Hurricane Milton

SECO Energy’s restoration efforts following Hurricane Milton are essentially complete, with power restored to all members who can safely receive it.  

 

The storm caused widespread damage across SECO Energy’s 2,100-square-mile service area, leaving over 100,000 members without power. SECO crews, alongside hundreds of mutual aid line and tree crews, have endured working tirelessly around the clock to restore service safely and efficiently. As of 9 a.m. today, power has been restored to over 99,000 or 99% of the homes and businesses affected by Milton. Crews are diligently working to finish up restoration for the remaining members.  

 

While service was essentially restored Monday for everyone who can safely receive electricity, there is still standing water near feeder lines in the Webster area. Standing water is delaying restoration and making it challenging to fully assess damages to equipment. It is unsafe to repair equipment that is underwater. Restoration for this particular area in Webster and other locations unsafe to restore electricity will resume once conditions improve and it is safe to do so. 

 

SECO Energy’s service area has not experienced damage of this magnitude since Hurricane Irma in 2017. “We are immensely proud of the work our employees and mutual aid partners have done and are continuing to do, bringing power back to our members,” stated SECO Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Curtis Wynn. “The dedication, teamwork, and resilience displayed during this recovery demonstrate SECO Energy’s strive for excellence in reliability and service.” 

 

As restoration efforts wrap up, SECO Energy remains committed to restoring every member’s power as safely and quickly as possible. Members are to remain cautious around downed power lines and to report any ongoing outages via StormCenter at SECOEnergy.com. For area light outages or malfunctions, report to LightFinder at SECOEnergy.com > StormCenter > LightFinder. 

 

As a result of the damage caused by Hurricane Milton, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Disaster Assistance Improvement Program is providing financial assistance to eligible applicants affected by Milton. For more details on eligibility or to start the application process, visit DisasterAssistance.gov. 

  

In addition to restoration, SECO Energy is providing support to the local community. The SECO team recently donated meals to assist residents in the Webster area and The Salvation Army of Lake & Sumter County. 

 

SECO Energy also extends a heartfelt thank you to the local communities, emergency responders, and mutual aid crews for their support and understanding during this challenging time. 

SECO Energy Continues Hurricane Milton Restoration

Restoration continues across SECO Energy’s 2,100-square-mile territory after Hurricane Milton passed through Central Florida. At the peak, over 100,000 SECO members’ electric service was interrupted due to damaging wind speeds and heavy rains. Progress is steady; just over 10,500 services are waiting for restoration as of early this morning; restoration is ongoing through the weekend and early this week.    

 

SECO Energy’s service area has not experienced such widespread damage since Hurricane Irma in 2017. Over 300 additional crews arrived yesterday and got to work with the SECO home team. All crews that arrive onsite first attend a safety briefing that includes an overview of the damage to the system, hazards crews may face in the field, and SECO’s construction standards.  

 

Progress Timeline: 

  • Over 100,000, or 41% of SECO Energy’s 245,000, members experienced service interruption due to Hurricane Milton’s intense wind and rain. Significant progress has been made in restoring power to affected members from the impact of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall near Siesta Key late Wednesday night. 
  • On day one of restoration, the team restored over 55,000 accounts, reducing the percentage of SECO members without power to 18%. All critical accounts were restored; per Florida mandates, critical accounts are the priority. Transmission lines that provide service to substations and large groups of members were also restored. Crews began assessing damage to feeder lines and lateral lines. 
  • On day two, crews continued to repair broken poles and downed trees. Damage assessments continued. By the end of the day on Friday, an additional 23,000 services were restored.   
  • On day three, work and damage assessments continued. Crews rebuilt feeder lines, replaced poles, and removed broken trees. Fresh mutual aid arrived and got to work, with crews restoring over 10,000 members’ services by the night’s end.  

 

“Day four of Hurricane Milton brings new challenges as our SECO home team crews and our mutual aid line and tree crews move into some of the most heavily damaged areas,” said Curtis Wynn, CEO of SECO Energy. “Electricity is an essential service; four days without it is a major hardship, and we understand that members without service need their power restored so they can get back to normal day-to-day activities. Please continue to be patient with our team and contractors who are working in the field and behind the scenes to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. They are working long hours and desperately want to see your lights come back on, too.”  

 

Restoration and recovery in some communities is a long process due to the substantial number of outages caused by downed lines, broken poles, flooding, fallen trees, and other damage curtailing restoration work. Do not enter a work zone – this is a safety hazard and slows work progress. Crews may need to leave a jobsite to respond to an emergency or get materials; they will return to complete the job.   

 

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. 

 

Stay away from downed wires. Always assume they are energized. Call 911 if you see a downed line. Members who require electricity to operate medical equipment should consider investing in a backup power source or have a relocation plan during extended power outages. Follow manufacturer’s safety instructions if you use a portable generator. Do not run a portable generator while sleeping. Carbon monoxide is emitted from a generator’s exhaust; it is deadly, colorless, and odorless. Avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by placing portable generators outside in a well-ventilated area, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows. Never run a generator inside, not even in your garage. Do not connect the generator directly to your home’s main fuse box or circuit panel.
 

For more storm safety tips, visit Ready.gov or download the American Red Cross’s Emergency Severe Weather App by texting “GETEMERGENCY” to 90999. 

Post Hurricane Milton Restoration Ongoing

Restoration continues across SECO Energy’s 2,100-square-mile territory after Hurricane Milton passed through Central Florida. At the peak, over 100,000 SECO members’ electric service was interrupted due to damaging wind speeds and heavy rains. Progress is steady; just over 10,500 services are waiting for restoration as of early this morning; restoration is ongoing through the weekend and early this week.    

 

SECO Energy’s service area has not experienced such widespread damage since Hurricane Irma in 2017. Over 300 additional crews arrived yesterday and got to work with the SECO home team. All crews that arrive onsite first attend a safety briefing that includes an overview of the damage to the system, hazards crews may face in the field, and SECO’s construction standards.  

 

Progress Timeline: 

  • Over 100,000, or 41% of SECO Energy’s 245,000, members experienced service interruption due to Hurricane Milton’s intense wind and rain. Significant progress has been made in restoring power to affected members from the impact of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall near Siesta Key late Wednesday night. 
  • On day one of restoration, the team restored over 55,000 accounts, reducing the percentage of SECO members without power to 18%. All critical accounts were restored; per Florida mandates, critical accounts are the priority. Transmission lines that provide service to substations and large groups of members were also restored. Crews began assessing damage to feeder lines and lateral lines. 
  • On day two, crews continued to repair broken poles and downed trees. Damage assessments continued. By the end of the day on Friday, an additional 23,000 services were restored.   
  • On day three, work and damage assessments continued. Crews rebuilt feeder lines, replaced poles, and removed broken trees. Fresh mutual aid arrived and got to work, with crews restoring over 10,000 members’ services by the night’s end.  

 

“Day four of Hurricane Milton brings new challenges as our SECO home team crews and our mutual aid line and tree crews move into some of the most heavily damaged areas,” said Curtis Wynn, CEO of SECO Energy. “Electricity is an essential service; four days without it is a major hardship, and we understand that members without service need their power restored so they can get back to normal day-to-day activities. Please continue to be patient with our team and contractors who are working in the field and behind the scenes to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Milton. They are working long hours and desperately want to see your lights come back on, too.”  

 

Restoration and recovery in some communities is a long process due to the substantial number of outages caused by downed lines, broken poles, flooding, fallen trees, and other damage curtailing restoration work. Do not enter a work zone – this is a safety hazard and slows work progress. Crews may need to leave a jobsite to respond to an emergency or get materials; they will return to complete the job.   

 

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. 

 

Stay away from downed wires. Always assume they are energized. Call 911 if you see a downed line. Members who require electricity to operate medical equipment should consider investing in a backup power source or have a relocation plan during extended power outages. Follow manufacturer’s safety instructions if you use a portable generator. Do not run a portable generator while sleeping. Carbon monoxide is emitted from a generator’s exhaust; it is deadly, colorless, and odorless. Avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning by placing portable generators outside in a well-ventilated area, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows. Never run a generator inside, not even in your garage. Do not connect the generator directly to your home’s main fuse box or circuit panel.
 

For more storm safety tips, visit Ready.gov or download the American Red Cross’s Emergency Severe Weather App by texting “GETEMERGENCY” to 90999. 

SECO Energy Launches Massive Power Restoration Effort in the Aftermath of Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key on Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without power. In response, SECO Energy began a massive restoration effort to rebuild electric infrastructure, which sustained significant damage from Hurricane Milton, widespread across SECO’s service area. Hundreds of workers from multiple states are assisting, and additional crews are being called to accelerate the recovery.

 

Over 100,000 accounts have experienced service disruption from Hurricane Milton, including six substations that lost the transmission feed from another utility. SECO crews and mutual aid line and tree crews worked to restore electric service until 7 p.m. last night when strong winds halted restoration for 13 hours. Restoration efforts resumed early this morning, and crews will work around the clock until every SECO Energy member’s power is fully restored. Additional crews are being called in to assist.

 

As of 9 a.m. Thursday morning, just under 90,000 locations remain without electricity due to fallen trees, downed lines, broken poles, and severe flooding. SECO Energy will work quickly and safely to bring members back online. Complete power restoration is expected to take multiple days.

 

“As we work to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, we have assembled a force of SECO home team crews and hundreds of line and tree crews from across the nation to support what will be one of the largest power restoration efforts in SECO’s history,” said Curtis Wynn, Chief Executive Officer of SECO Energy. “I want to assure our members that SECO Energy is committed to getting the lights back on as quickly and safely as possible and will not stop until service has been restored to every member.”

 

SECO Energy prioritizes restoring service to shelters, hospitals, schools, and emergency services (i.e., emergency ops centers, fire stations, and law enforcement facilities) to minimize the impact on public safety and health services. Next, crews restore electric service to the largest number of people in the shortest time possible until every member’s power is restored.

 

Members who require electric service for life-sustaining medical equipment should have a backup power source or plan to relocate. If using a portable generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Always operate generators outside on dry surfaces, away from rain, directing the generator’s exhaust away from your home and any nearby air intakes to other buildings. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can build up fast from a portable generator’s exhaust.

 

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.

 

Members are reminded to stay safe and encouraged to adhere to the following safety tips, as conditions remain hazardous in many areas:

 

• Stay away from downed wires. Always assume they are energized. Call 911 if you see a downed line.

 

• Avoid flooded areas. Flooding is a major threat from Hurricane Milton. Flash flooding can occur suddenly due to intense rainfall. Long-term flooding along rivers and streams can persist for days following a storm. When approaching water on a roadway, remember: Don’t Drown. Turn Around.

 

• Avoid crews working in the street. This will keep you and the crews safe and allow them to work on restoring your power.

 

• If you plan to use a portable generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use only when necessary. Don’t overload it. Be sure to turn it off at night when you’re asleep or if you leave your home.

 

• To avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, place portable generators outside in a well-ventilated area, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows. Never run a generator inside, not even in your garage. Do not connect the generator directly to your home’s main fuse box or circuit panel.

 

• Protect food and refrigerated medicine with ice in an insulated cooler. If you are without power for more than two hours, refrigerated foods should be placed in a cooler. Foods will stay frozen for 36 to 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if the door remains closed, and a half-full freezer will generally keep frozen foods for up to 24 hours. Check foodsafety.gov to learn when to throw out or keep food after a power outage.

 

• Tune in to local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information.

 

 

For more storm safety tips, visit Ready.gov or download the American Red Cross’s Emergency Severe Weather App by texting “GETEMERGENCY” to 90999.

SECO Energy Completes Restoration from Hurricane Helene and Sends Aid

SECO Energy CEO Curtis Wynn

In the early morning hours on Saturday, September 28, SECO Energy completed electric service restoration for all accounts affected by Hurricane Helene’s impact. After a short rest for SECO Energy’s crews, a group of employees volunteered to join the restoration effort at other cooperatives.

 

The wind damage in SECO Energy’s service area was moderate, disrupting service to roughly 43,000 accounts. In response, SECO Energy employees and hundreds of mutual aid line and tree crews began a comprehensive storm recovery process, which involved damage assessments, restoration prioritization, and working around the clock to restore electric service. Crews and contractors worked tirelessly to replace broken utility poles, remove fallen trees, and restore downed power lines, ensuring the safety and comfort of our members.

 

“I am extremely proud of our dedicated employees and mutual aid crews that worked tirelessly until every member had power restored,” says SECO Energy’s Chief Executive Officer Curtis Wynn. “Storm recovery is difficult, dangerous work, but our crews are experienced, highly trained, and dedicated to protecting the communities we serve.”

 

A 13-person restoration module left SECO Energy early Sunday afternoon, traveling to Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc., headquartered in Keystone Heights, to assist in outage restoration. Clay Electric’s service area has been significantly damaged, with over 26,000 accounts currently without electric service as of Sunday afternoon. This underscores the urgency of the situation. Two SECO warehouse support employees have stepped in to provide needed warehouse and supply chain services at Central Florida Electric Cooperative (CFEC). Their assistance is crucial in helping CFEC employees continue the restoration effort in their region.

 

Wynn continued, “I want to thank each employee who volunteered to help others. We are proud to answer the call to help a sister cooperative. Cooperation Among Cooperatives is essential; when we work together, we can bring normalcy back to the lives of thousands of our neighbors. North Florida and western North Carolina sustained some of the worst damage from Helene, these communities are in our thoughts as they work to rebuild their homes and lives.”

 

SECO Energy’s contracted line and tree crews also left to aid in restoration. Five Pike overhead line crews and 24 Link Energy contractors left for Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) on Saturday. Four Pike overhead line crews joined Clay Electric on Sunday. Additionally, five Wright Tree Service crews are traveling to other damaged areas in the southeast.

 

SECO Energy is grateful to members affected by this storm for their patience and understanding as crews worked to replace broken utility poles, remove tree fallen trees, and restore downed power lines. The cooperative also extends its gratitude to the various cooperatives, businesses, and organizations that provided valuable support and assistance during the recovery efforts.

 

 

Hurricane Helene Mutual Aid from SECO Energy
SECO Energy employees who traveled to Clay Electric on Sunday, September 29, 2024, to aid in power restoration after Hurricane Helene

 

Storm Restoration Photos:

 

For more information about SECO Energy and our storm recovery efforts, visit our online Newsroom at SECOEnergy.com. 

 

SECO Energy Restoring Power in the Wake of Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Panhandle Thursday evening as a Category 4 storm, causing damage to SECO Energy’s electric system and leaving many members without power. SECO crews and mutual aid line and tree crews worked throughout the night to restore electric service to members’ homes.  

 

As of 10 a.m. Friday morning, roughly 3,276 members are without electricity due to fallen wires, damaged poles, and severe flooding. Approximately 34,000 accounts have experienced service disruption from Helene, with 22,000 accounts at its peak. 

 

Hundreds of workers from multiple states have lined up to assist SECO in power restoration. SECO Energy’s electric system sustained moderate damage that affected many of the communities SECO Energy serves. Crews continued the restoration process this morning.   

 

“As we work to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, I want to assure our members that SECO Energy is committed to getting the lights back on as quickly and safely as possible and will not stop until service has been restored to every member,” said Curtis Wynn, SECO Energy’s Chief Executive Officer.  

 

Wynn continued, “Crews never stopped working overnight. They worked through rain and wind gusts that reached 70 mph in our northern areas; making significant progress in the restoration effort that continues this morning. We are thankful for their assistance and are thinking of our neighbors in north Florida whose homes and properties are severely damaged.” 

 

SECO Energy urges members to stay safe in the wake of the storm, as conditions remain hazardous in many areas. Members are encouraged to follow the following safety tips:  

 

  • Stay away from downed wires. Always assume they are energized. Call 911 if you see a downed line.
     
  • Avoid flooded areas. Flooding is a major threat from Hurricane Helene. Flash flooding can occur suddenly due to intense rainfall. Long-term flooding along rivers and streams can persist for days following a storm. When approaching water on a roadway, remember: Don’t Drown. Turn Around.
     
  • Avoid crews working in the street. This will keep you and the crews safe and allow them to work on restoring your power.
     
  • If you plan to use a portable generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use only when necessary. Don’t overload it. Be sure to turn it off at night when you’re asleep or if you leave your home.
     
  • To avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, place portable generators outside in a well-ventilated area, more than 20 feet away from your home, doors, and windows. Never run a generator inside, not even in your garage. Do not connect the generator directly into your home’s main fuse box or circuit panel.
     
  • Protect food and refrigerated medicine with ice in an insulated cooler. If you are without power for more than two hours, refrigerated foods should be placed in a cooler. Foods will stay frozen for 36 to 48 hours in a fully loaded freezer if the door remains closed, and a half-full freezer will generally keep frozen foods for up to 24 hours. Check foodsafety.gov to learn more about when to throw out or keep food after a power outage.
     
  • Tune in to local news broadcasts for the latest weather and emergency information. 

 

For more storm safety tips, visit Ready.gov or download the American Red Cross’s Emergency Severe Weather App by texting “GETEMERGENCY” to 90999. 

SECO Energy Joins Hurricane Idalia Restoration Effort

SECO Energy is lending a hand to a fellow Florida cooperative Tri-County Electric Cooperative in Madison. Tri-County’s service area was ravaged by Hurricane Idalia as it made landfall in the Big Bend area on Wednesday, August 30. When Tri-County put out the call for mutual aid from its fellow cooperatives, SECO Energy answered the call to join the restoration effort in the Panhandle. 

 

On Friday, September 1, a contingent of SECO Energy line employees, a superintendent, a supervisor and mechanic, left the Ocala Operations Center on their way to Tri-County Electric Cooperative. Tri-County serves almost 25,000 members in Jefferson, Madison and Taylor Counties. This area includes some of the most devastated areas in the state. Currently, almost 30,000 homes and businesses are without power in Tri-County Electric’s three-county service territory.  

 

Cooperation Among Cooperatives and Concern for Community are two of the Seven Cooperative Principles to which cooperatives adhere. Providing mutual aid in the form of experienced technicians and other resources is critical for restoring essential electric service to all residents affected by Hurricane Idalia.  

 

SECO Energy also released seven full-time Pike contract crews that are stationed at SECO to Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) in Live Oak, Florida. SVEC serves more than 28,000 members in Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette and Suwannee Counties. Over 40,000 members are waiting for power restoration in these four counties. 

 

CEO Curtis Wynn is pleased to assist SECO Energy’s cooperative peers. Wynn stated, “We are extremely thankful that SECO Energy’s service area and members were spared the brunt of Hurricane Idalia’s destruction. It is our privilege to assist both Tri-County Electric Cooperative and Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative. When we asked for volunteers to travel to these hurricane-devastated areas, many of our team members volunteered quickly to assist.” 

 

“During major storm repairs, mutual aid is a tenet that leads our cooperative and others across the state. We are praying for our teams’ safety and that of all utility workers who are traveling and working to make Floridian’s lives better every day.” 

 

“Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on X (formerly, Twitter) for news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Manage your outage notification preferences at StormCenter. To see when SECO Energy crews and contractors are working in your area, visit the System Improvement map. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > About. 

SECO Energy Recovers from Hurricane Idalia

SECO Energy is recovering from Hurricane Idalia as the storm’s outer rain bands and tropical storm-force winds moved across its Central Florida service area. SECO employees and contracted line and tree crews worked overnight Tuesday into Wednesday through inclement weather to restore service to members affected by power outages. SECO welcomed almost 500 mutual aid crews to aid in the restoration effort. 

 

In the last 24 hours, just over 10,400 members experienced a service interruption due to Hurricane Idalia. As of 12:00 p.m., just over 600 accounts remain out of service. The hurricane made landfall near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m., sparing Central Florida from the heaviest winds and most severe damage imposed by the hurricane. Idalia’s wind and rain bands extended into the SECO Energy service territory late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning as it moved north, nearly 100 miles west of Tampa Bay. 

 

The Big Bend of Florida took the brunt of Hurricane Idalia’s Category 3 winds and unprecedented storm surge that pummeled the shoreline from Cedar Key to Horseshoe Beach. Extreme wind warnings were issued to parts of Taylor and Madison County, including the towns of Perry, Steinhatchee, Lee, Madison, Hanson and Pinetta. 

  

CEO Curtis Wynn was grateful for the limited impact Hurricane Idalia had on the not-for-profit electric cooperative’s 230,000+ members and praised the SECO team and mutual aid crews for their preparation. Wynn stated, “Our team was exceptionally well-prepared for Hurricane Idalia and their response was second to none. We caught a break – Hurricane Idalia could have turned east and left us with massive outages and destruction. There is no guarantee with the weather. StormReady means that we prepare for and are ready for emergencies that storms often create. We bring in the appropriate number of outside contractors and, with our own team of employees, apply the appropriate response plan.” 

 

StormCenter is SECO Energy’s outage and communications platform for members to report outages, check the status of an existing outage and enroll in outage communications and alerts via email, text, voice or all three. Visit StormCenter and bookmark it on your smartphone or tablet to report outages quickly and easily. 

 

SECO Energy’s Hurricane Handbook includes how to prepare before, during and after a storm. “Like” SECO Energy on Facebook and follow @SECOEnergy on X (formerly, Twitter) for news releases, and severe weather alerts affecting SECO Energy’s service territory. Manage your outage notification preferences at StormCenter. To see when SECO Energy crews and contractors are working in your area, visit the System Improvement map. To learn more about SECO Energy as a not-for-profit cooperative, visit SECOEnergy.com > Your Co-op > About.

SECO Releases Interactive Restoration Plan Map for Members

SECO Energy released a new interactive restoration plan map for members to help them determine the areas where crews are currently rebuilding feeders/circuits and restoring power.

 

This new interactive map is a useful communication tool for members seeking power restoration information. Members can input their service address and determine if their area is included in the current day’s restoration plan. Substations are labeled as a reference and feeders/circuits are outlined in polygons. To use the map, visit www.SECOEnergy.com and hover over “Contact Us” in the top right corner. Select “Daily Restoration Plan.”

 

On Wednesday morning, SECO updated the map to reflect the September 13 restoration plan, and mobile-friendly adjustments were made for smartphones and tablets. SECO quickly built the map to help its members who may not be able to get through on the phone.

 

SECO has had significant restoration success since work began Monday at noon. On Monday morning when hurricane winds subsided, our systems indicated about 110,000 reported power outages out of SECO’s 200,000 members. By the end of the day Monday, SECO crews and contractors had restored 25,000 members’ service. By the end of the day Tuesday, SECO crews and contractors had restored another 31,500 members’ service. SECO’s Storm Center shows that approximately 54,000 members remain without power.  

 

SECO anticipated the widespread damage, and brought several contingents of line and tree contractors in before the hurricane hit. The company also proactively arranged for fresh tree and line contractors to arrive every day this week to deploy in the field. Crews arrived from Texas, North Carolina and Louisiana on Tuesday and a large Missouri contingent arrives today. Most substations are now functional, and SECO is counting on the support of Duke Energy to repair its transmission lines connected to SECO’s Mount Dora, Lady Lake, Umatilla, Sorrento and Gospel Island substations back online.

 

SECO crews along with hundreds of contract line and tree trimming crews who arrived before Hurricane Irma struck have been working around-the-clock restoring power to SECO members. Since restoration began at noon on Monday, SECO has restored power to more than 56,500 members and the number restored members continues to climb by the minute. The following is a summary of substations and feeders where crews are or will be TODAY performing repairs and restoration:

 

Sumterville District Office:
• Dallas substation in Marion County near Hwy 301 in Summerfield.
• Lady Lake substation off of Griffin Avenue in Lake County.
• Wildwood substation north of CR-222 in Sumter County.
• Floral City substation off E. Floral Park Drive in Lake County.
• Inverness substation near Susan Point in Citrus County.
• Bushnell substation in Sumter County on CR-48.
• Webster substation in Sumter County on CR-753.

 

Groveland District Office:
• Groveland substation in Citrus County on Phelps Street.
• Big Creek substation in Clermont off CR-474 in Lake County.
• South Highway substation in Groveland on SR-33 in Lake County.

 

Eustis District Office:
• St. Johns substation in Lake County off Lake Mack Drive in Deland.
• Mount Dora substation off SR-44 in Lake County.
• Linadale substation in Umatilla off SE 255 Ave in Lake County.
• Umatilla substation in Lake County off of CR-450A.
• Sorrento substation off CR-437 in Lake County.
• Deer Island substation in Tavares off CR 448 in Lake County.

 

Ocala District Office:
• Dallas substation serving CR-42 and Hwy 301 in Marion County.
• Belleview substation serving Belleview and Summerfield in Marion County.
• Timberwood substation in Marion County off 60th Avenue in Ocala.
• Summerglen substation serving Summerglen and Marion Oaks in Marion County.
• Westwood Acres substation in Ocala off SW 140th Ave in Ocala in Marion County.
• Martel substation in NW Ocala off 110th Ave in Marion County.
• Ocala Park substation in NW Ocala off 90th Ave in Marion County.

 

Please keep in mind that Hurricane Irma just left SECO’s service area late Monday morning. Even the storms of 2004 didn’t hit the area this hard with this much damage. The system disruption is unprecedented and SECO is doing its best to quickly and fully recover.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.

Hurricane Restoration Continues Across Central Florida

Hurricane restoration continues across Central Florida with SECO Energy diligently working to restore power to the over 110,000 members without power after Hurricane Irma ravaged its service territory. SECO crews along with hundreds of contracted line and tree crews are deployed to all counties.

 

SECO crews and contracted line and tree crews worked overnight restoring power to members. Because of the significant damage, SECO is diligently calling for more man-power and additional resources to speed up restoration efforts. SECO members were understandably frustrated yesterday with the seeming lack of progress and information on restoration activities. About half of SECO’s system was on the ground Monday morning after Hurricane Irma blasted directly through the center of its service territory.

 

After Monday’s restoration began and the overnight efforts continued, and 25,000 of the 110,000 members without power had their service restored. The following is a summary of Monday’s restoration progress:

 

    • Tree and line crews spent Monday afternoon in Citrus County working on a feeder served by SECO’s Inverness substation serving 2,210 members. Service to that feeder and substation is anticipated to be restored by Tuesday afternoon.
    • 3,000 of the 3,626 Sumter County members served by our Lake Ella substation (Fruitland Park) feeder 4 were restored Monday evening. The remaining members will have service restored Tuesday.
    • Almost 2,000 members in Sumter County served by our Continental (Wildwood) substation’s feeder 4 were restored Monday evening. An additional 431 members on this feeder will see full restoration by around noon today.
    • Our Timberwood substation on 60th Ave in Ocala feeder 2 had 1,000 members restored, feeder 3 had 150 members restored and feeder 4 had 1,300 members restored.
    • 600 members served by our Belleview substation have had their service restored Monday evening.
    • 801 members served by our Waterways substation in southwest Marion County have had their service restored.
    • 80 members served by our Summerglen substation near I-75 in Marion County have had their service restored.
    • 500 members served by our Dallas substation near Summerfield have had their service restored.
    • 241 members Lake County, Astatula area have had their service restored – more members will be restored Tuesday in this community as crews continue to make progress.
    • 100 members served from our St John’s substation in the Lake Mack area have had their service restored.
    • Almost 3,000 members served from two of our six feeders from our Clermont substation have had their service restored.
    • 200 members served by our Linadale substation off 42 in Lake County near Umatilla have had their service restored Monday night.
    • 1,400 members served by our Groveland substation have had their service restored.

 

More members will see power restored today and we will update social media and customer service as soon as possible. Please keep in mind that Hurricane Irma just left SECO’s service area late Monday morning. Even the storms of 2004 didn’t hit the area this hard with this much damage. It is unprecedented and SECO is doing its best to fully recover.

 

Seek shelter if you or your loved ones need power to run life-saving medical devices. Floridians can access www.floridadisaster.org/shelters for shelter information by county, including general population shelters, pet-friendly shelters and special needs shelters.

 

If you are using a portable or backup generator, never let it run in enclosed spaces. Generators emit carbon monoxide gas that is a silent, odorless killer. Ensure these are connected correctly. Do not tamper with a meter to connect a generator as this requires a licensed electrician. Safety tips and storm preparation tips are available on SECO’s website.

 

To avoid scams and dangers, do not accept restoration or tree trimming assistance from someone who is asking for payment on the spot and is not a SECO employee or contractor. Under no circumstances would SECO ask for payment in the field during a restoration event. Do not attempt to reconnect services yourself.

 

As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, SECO is dedicated to being our members’ first source for accurate storm information. “Like” SECO’s Facebook page and “follow” the company on Twitter to stay updated about storms affecting our area.