Legislators Respond to Power Outage on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     Due to a transmission cable that was damaged early Thursday morning near the Bonner Bridge - Hatteras Island in Dare County and Ocracoke Island in Hyde County are experiencing a major power outage.

    Hyde County officials declared a mandatory evacuation of all visitors and a State of Emergency for Ocracoke Island. Later this afternoon, Governor Cooper signed a State of Emergency declaration for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands and issued an executive order waiving certain vehicle weight and service hour requirements. The State of Emergency declaration will enable state support and mobilize the necessary resources to respond to this severe power outage.

    "With our coastal communities bustling during one of the biggest months for tourism in the region, the safety of our coastal residents and visitors remains a top priority. I encourage all residents and visitors of Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island to take necessary precautions, listen to local media and use good judgment throughout the duration of this power outage," said Sen. Bill Cook (R-District 1).

    Cape Hatteras Electric is delivering sparse power to various parts of Hatteras via diesel generators. The electric cooperative has asked everyone in the two villages to turn off their air conditioning and conserve power.

    On Ocracoke Island, Tideland Electric attempted to operate the Ocracoke generator, but after approximately 10 minutes the generator ultimately failed. Therefore, Tideland has located three mobile generators that will be transported to run the island's three circuits to avoid rotating service schedules. The generators are scheduled to be arriving Friday morning, July 28. Once the generators are installed, Tideland Electric request no use of air conditioning systems and to conserve power until the transmission is repaired.

    "I have spoken to Hyde County manager Bill Rich and Dare County manager Bobby Outten as well as representatives of the electric cooperatives and we stand ready to provide whatever support is needed to respond to this latest emergency. It is imperative that we use all of the resources at our disposal to handle this serious situation as quickly as possible. I thank the Governor for his rapid response in declaring a State of Emergency for Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands," said Rep. Beverly Boswell (R-District 6).

    Specialized transmission repair crews are arriving at Oregon Inlet tonight to assess the damage. Depending on the extent of the repairs and the specialized materials required, transmission repairs could take anywhere from days to weeks to complete.

    In the meantime, the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department will be made available to the public as a cooling and charging station starting Friday, July 28, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. Medical personnel will be onsite to help treat heat related injuries.

    For the latest updates and information on the power outage, stay tuned to local media and listen for updates from Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative and Tideland Electric Cooperative. Also, anyone seeking information about the State of Emergency or the Ocracoke mandatory evacuation order may call: (252) 926-4374.

    Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative website: http://www.chec.coop/

    Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CapeHatterasElectricCoop/

    Tideland Electric Cooperative website: http://www.tidelandemc.com/

    Tideland Electric Cooperative Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TidelandElectric/

    Click here to view the Governor's State of Emergency declaration.

    Click here to view the Governor's executive order.

• Contact: Jordan Hennessy
•     jordan.hennessy@ncleg.net