As of 5 p.m. July 4, AEP Ohio, through our rebuilding efforts, has restored power to approximately 74 percent of the 660,000 customers affected by the catastrophic storm that moved through the state June 29 and the additional 20,000 who lost power in the July 1 evening
storm.
Approximately 171,000 AEP Ohio customers remain without power across our service territory this afternoon.
The majority of these customers still without power are located in the
central and southeastern Ohio Columbus, Newark and Athens service areas.
In central Ohio, approximately 41,000 remain without power in Franklin County and 20,000 in Licking County. At the peak, approximately 45 percent of AEP Ohio's 1.4 million customers were without power.
The storm damaged more than 680 transmission structures across Ohio,
affecting service to more than 390,000 AEP Ohio customers. In AEP Ohio's western Ohio service area alone, 443 transmission structures were downed by the storm between Van Wert and Ottawa.
These structures are the base support for the transmission line circuits that traverse the state. Approximately 128 transmissions circuits -- primarily 69-kV and high-voltage 138-kV lines -- were knocked out of service because of downed lines and equipment and support structures. Approximately 87 circuits have been restored.
These transmission lines feed power to substations that provide power to
communities and neighborhoods. Service to approximately 306 substations was interrupted by damage to these lines. Service has been restored to approximately 268.
AEP Ohio now has more than 5,000 internal and external resources working to restore electric service to its customers.
This includes nearly 2,000 internal and 2,500 external outside line
resources and support personnel working to repair and rebuild AEP Ohio's damaged electric system. This includes more than 590 internal and external transmission personnel concentrating on reconstructing downed transmission facilities across the state.
