RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Dominion Energy is working to ensure crews are lined up and ready to go in the case of power outages from the remnants of Tropical Storm Laura this weekend.
“We prepare year-round for things like this,” said Samantha Moore, Communications Specialist with Dominion.
Moore said they will be upstaffing if needed.
“In addition to the crews who will already be working their normal schedules over the weekend, we also have crews available, contract crews, that we can bring in if those outages occur,” she said.
Tropical storm weather during the pandemic means many employees who work behind the scenes are now working from home. However, Moore said that does not have an impact on their response.
“We’re taking some precautions in our offices to make sure that those who need to be on-site can be on site. Some of it we’re doing it remotely but we are staffed up and prepared no matter what comes our way,” Moore said.
Crews who respond directly to power outages are also taking precautions like wearing masks and wiping down equipment.
The biggest threat to power staying on will be high winds and potential tornadoes.
“That kind of weather can cause trees to come down on power lines, which is typically the main reason for outages that we see during things like this, especially with all the rain that we’ve had this year,” Moore told 8News.
If an outage happens at your house, Moore said the most important thing to do is report it as soon as you can.
“The first thing we need to know is what the damage is so that we can know the right crews to get out to repair it,” she said.
Moore added that the easiest way to report a power outage is through the Dominion Energy mobile app.
Click here to report an outage online or by calling 866-366-4357.