On the evening of November 5, crews with Central Alabama Electric Cooperative (CAEC) completed their restoration efforts after Hurricane Zeta ripped through the co-op’s 10-county service territory the morning of October 29, leaving approximately 37,000 members without power.

Zeta’s violent winds registered over 60 mph and left a trail of widespread damage in the form of downed trees, nearly 500 broken poles and countless downed spans of wire impacting approximately 75 percent of the co-op’s 44,000 meters. With the assistance of 28 additional cooperatives and contractors from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina, a force of nearly 300 lineworkers were able to restore power within eight days.

“This was a monumental effort by our employees and those who came to our aid,” said CAEC President and CEO Tom Stackhouse. “The level of destruction Zeta brought to our membership is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced in our 80-year history, but in true fashion, our employees worked tirelessly to overcome the odds. We are so thankful for the kind words, acts and prayers of our members, and I feel I can speak for every employee when I say that we truly work for the best members. We are even stronger together after an event of this magnitude.”