CHELCO crews deploy to assist after Hurricane Sally

DeFuniak Springs, Fla. (Sept. 21, 2020) – CHELCO and its subsidiary Southland Utility Services are sending line crews, a right-of-way clearing crew and equipment to assist Baldwin EMC in restoring power after Hurricane Sally.

“Just as other cooperatives come to our aid when we have a crisis, we are joining others from around the nation in assisting with the clean-up and power restoration at our sister cooperative,” said CHELCO CEO Steve Rhodes.

Baldwin EMC serves more than 80,000 meters throughout Baldwin County and southern Monroe County in southwestern Alabama. After Hurricane Sally hit on Sept. 16, Baldwin EMC had approximately 78,000 members without power. As of Sept. 21, Baldwin EMC still has approximately 29,000 members without power.

“We are always happy to assist other cooperatives in restoring power to their members when we can,” said CHELCO’s Manager of Operations Larry Tankersley. “It’s the cooperative way.”

CHELCO is a not-for-profit electric distribution cooperative serving more than 56,000 accounts in Walton, Okaloosa, Holmes and Santa Rosa counties.