U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm and Deputy Secretary David M. Turk recently held discussions with electricity sector leaders regarding the response to Hurricane Helene, which severely impacted communities in the Southeast and Appalachia. The Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council and Energy Government Coordinating Council have been actively meeting since September 25th to coordinate industry preparedness, response, and restoration efforts with federal partners.
During the call, Secretary Granholm expressed her appreciation for the utility leaders' dedication to recovery efforts and commended the utility crews working tirelessly under challenging conditions to restore power. The extensive damage from Hurricane Helene necessitated a large-scale restoration operation involving over 50,000 utility personnel from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. These efforts have successfully restored power to more than 4 million customers affected by the storm.
President Biden and Vice President Harris have consistently urged federal departments and agencies to support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The President emphasized the federal government's commitment during visits to several affected states. The Department of Energy (DOE) is providing ongoing support to federal, state, local responders, and electricity sector partners throughout the damage assessment and restoration process. DOE remains dedicated to aiding regions hardest hit by Hurricane Helene as they progress towards rebuilding and long-term recovery.
The destruction caused by Hurricane Helene highlights the increasing threat of severe weather events and underscores the necessity for energy resilience. DOE plans to continue collaborating with partners and utilizing resources to prepare for future threats to the energy sector, including preparations for Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico.
DOE's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) is leading departmental preparedness and response efforts. CESER is responsible for managing disruptions within the energy sector as part of FEMA’s National Response Framework under Emergency Support Function #12 (ESF #12). CESER provides daily updates on restoration efforts via DOE’s Hurricane Hub.
