Cooperative Responding to Power Outages From Major Winter Storm

A&N Electric Cooperative personnel and its contractor crews continue to respond to power outages associated with the strong winds and wet, heavy snow from Winter Storm Hernando.

As of 11 p.m., just over 11,000 cooperative members remain without service. The storm continues to impact the Mid-Atlantic region, with poweroutage.com reporting approximately 25,000 outages in Maryland, 34,000 in Delaware and 42,000 in New Jersey.

In Accomack and Northampton counties, the combination of high winds and dense snowfall has led to tree damage, with fallen limbs and trees bringing down power lines across the Eastern Shore. Cooperative personnel began responding to weather-related outages at approximately 7 p.m., as conditions deteriorated.

“We expect outage numbers to fluctuate as the wind and snow continue to batter the region,” said Joe Cataldo, A&N’s Vice President of Operations and Construction. “Our crews will continue working through the height of the storm, and we anticipate steady improvement once wind speeds begin to subside.”

Restoration efforts are being slowed by hazardous travel conditions, including snow-covered roadways. Crews are proceeding carefully to ensure safe access to damaged infrastructure while prioritizing member and employee safety.

Members are strongly urged to maintain a safe distance from any downed power lines and to report them immediately to the cooperative or by calling 911. All downed lines should be treated as energized and extremely dangerous.

The cooperative has also received reports of vehicles becoming entangled in fallen lines. Motorists should never attempt to drive over downed power lines. Instead, maintain a safe distance, report the hazard, and allow trained line personnel to safely remove the obstruction.

Additional updates will be provided as restoration efforts continue.