Warsaw, VA – As a result of Winter Storm Fern, the Northern Neck Electric Cooperative service area experienced some moderate ice accumulation, mainly in the Northumberland County area near the river, causing more than 2,300 members to be without power. NNEC crews immediately began assessing damage and restored power to more than 2,000 affected members overnight and early this morning.
As of 9 a.m. today, NNEC reports 11 outages affecting 94 members primarily in Northumberland County. Fallen trees and limbs contributed to four broken utility poles, which are being replaced today.
NNEC members should report a power outage by using the coNNECt app — located in the Outage Center at nnec.coop/outages-safety/outage-center — or by calling 1-866-663-2688.
NNEC urges members with portable generators to make sure they are safely and properly connected. Operate them outdoors in an area with plenty of ventilation. Never run a generator in a home or garage. Prevent backfeeding power to the line by not plugging a generator into the wall. Use heavy-duty extension cords to connect appliances to the outlets on the generator. Read more about generator safety at https://nnec.coop/safety.
Extremely cold temperatures are in the forecast this week. NNEC reminds members to dress in layers and use blankets to stay warm. Lowering your thermostat just a few degrees can add up to big savings on your electric bill. Experts recommend lowering the thermostat by 5 degrees or more while you sleep at night. Keep blinds open during the day on windows facing south to allow sunlight to warm your home. Close them again after sunset. Limit use of space heaters and never leave them unattended.
Stay away from power lines on ground or any tree, limb or other object in contact with a power line. Call 911 to report it and help keep others away. Always assume a power line is live and could potentially cause fatal injury.
Stay up to date with the NNEC outage map at nnec.outagemap.coop.
