One year after Hurricane Helene caused major disruptions across Georgia, Georgia Power reports that its power grid is now stronger and more resilient. Following the storm, which was described as the most destructive in the company’s history, 95 percent of affected customers had their electricity restored within eight days. At the peak of recovery operations, more than 20,000 workers were mobilized from both Georgia Power and partner companies nationwide.
Restoration efforts focused on areas such as Valdosta, Augusta, and Savannah—some of which were difficult to access and required helicopters, boats, and drones for repairs. The company has invested over $10 billion in smart grid technology and resilience upgrades over the past decade with approval from the Georgia Public Service Commission. These improvements have helped reduce outages and made it possible to reroute power automatically during severe weather events like Hurricane Helene.
During the storm’s height, advanced automated systems prevented prolonged outages for thousands by redirecting electricity around damaged sections. This allowed repair crews to focus resources on communities most severely impacted by Helene.
In addition to immediate restoration work, Georgia Power undertook a strategic rebuilding process that included upgrading lines, poles, transformers, and integrating self-healing technologies such as automatic fault detection and automated switches. These upgrades are designed to enhance reliability and improve monitoring across all customer segments.
“We understand the importance of reliable energy for families and businesses and are working every day to plan improvements and align our investments in grid resilience to deliver the best value for customers,” said Josh Stallings, vice president of strategy and support for Georgia Power. “While this is an ongoing effort that has been underway for years, following Hurricane Helene, we recognized an opportunity to upgrade sections of the grid in impacted areas while we rebuilt from the ground up in many cases, making them stronger and more resilient. We’re proud to continue to be here for Georgia communities every day.”
In Coastal Georgia—including Savannah—projects have improved pole durability through basic insulation level (BIL) enhancements while sectionalizing projects added devices that minimize outage impacts by segmenting electrical feeders. More than 10,000 customers have benefited from these upgrades so far.
East Georgia’s Augusta area saw more than 90 new or upgraded sectionalizing devices installed as part of a self-healing grid system capable of restoring service quickly after faults occur. This technology also helps crews identify precise locations needing repairs.
In South Georgia—including Hahira and East Valdosta—crews replaced existing circuits with larger wires along new service lines exceeding one mile in length. Select overhead lines are being moved underground to decrease outage risks; ten substations throughout Albany, Bainbridge, Tifton, Valdosta, and Waycross are receiving equipment updates. Additional staging areas have also been established for faster response if another major storm hits.
For further details about restoration efforts following Hurricane Helene visit georgiapower.com/helene.
