Power has been fully restored across Habersham County following Winter Storm Fern, bringing an end to what Habersham EMC described as one of the most challenging restoration efforts in the cooperative’s history.
At the height of the storm, more than 23,000 members were without power, an unprecedented number for the service area. Restoration efforts stretched nearly 80 hours, as crews worked around the clock in extreme conditions to repair widespread damage caused by ice, wind, and falling trees.
According to Habersham EMC, crews replaced 113 broken power poles, each repair taking an average of six hours. In addition, workers installed 54,135 feet of wire—a distance the cooperative compared to stacking two Mount Everests end to end—and cleared nearly 4,000 fallen trees from power lines.
The work was carried out amid single-digit temperatures, strong winds, icy roadways, and constant safety hazards. Crews often worked through the night, facing hidden damage and new obstacles as conditions evolved.
Behind the scenes, Habersham EMC’s operations extended beyond the field. Office staff handled a steady stream of calls and messages, coordinated housing and meals for visiting linemen, and provided frequent public updates. Some employees remained on-site for extended periods, grabbing only brief rest breaks as restoration efforts continued.
In total, 654 workers, including Habersham EMC employees, contractors, and personnel from partner electric cooperatives across the region, took part in the response. Extra crews and supplies had been staged ahead of the storm, but the scope of the damage made the effort demanding from start to finish.
Habersham EMC acknowledged the frustration and hardship outages caused for residents but expressed pride in the collective effort and gratitude for the community’s patience and support throughout the process.
With the final outage resolved, crews were finally able to return home to their families—marking the end of a storm response that will be remembered as a defining moment for the cooperative and the community it serves.
