After spending much of August assisting power companies in New Jersey and Illinois following violent storms, more than 200 Alabama Power linemen and support personnel are back safely in Alabama.

The crews left on Aug. 5 for New Jersey after Tropical Storm Isaias left thousands without power. Alabama Power worked with Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) to restore power to more than 10,000 customers.

As they were wrapping up work in the Garden State, a powerful derecho storm swept through the Midwest, downing poles and power lines in multiple states.

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Alabama Power crews traveled west on Aug. 11 to near Chicago. There, they assisted Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) by replacing 58 poles, more than 300 spans of wire and 35 transformers to restore power to more than 5,000 customers.

Just like in New Jersey, residents in Illinois were appreciative of Alabama Power’s efforts and took to social media to offer thanks and praise a job well done.

“Just wanted to let you know that everyone here in Illinois is so grateful for you guys,” Shelby Ruettinger wrote to Alabama Power through Facebook Messenger. “All the crews have been so friendly and so efficient and have been a ray of sunlight during these frustrating times after the storm.”

Patricia Olszewski also wrote through Facebook Messenger.

“Hey, Alabama Power, thank you from Illinois! After 1 week without power due to the derecho storm they arrived and got job done,” Olszewski wrote. “Polite and efficient – they rocked! Kudos to your Kankakee, Illinois teams.”

Alabama Power’s help was coordinated through the mutual assistance program of the Southeastern Electric Exchange, an association of utilities.

(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)