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Nearly 9,000 Restored in 24 Hours After Devastating Tornado

 

 

In the early hours of July 24, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Queen Anne’s County and surrounding areas of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay coastal communities.

Moments later, high winds and heavy rain struck the region — followed by a swirling EF2 category tornado that toppled trees, bent metal utility poles, and tore at least one home from its foundation. The tornado had formed as a waterspout over the nearby Chesapeake Bay, and packed 125-mph winds as it spun ashore, according to local officials and the National Weather Service.

Within minutes, thousands of residents in Stevensville, Bay City, Kent Island, and surrounding parts of Queen Anne’s County, Md., were without electrical power. But before sunrise, Delmarva Power crews were dispatched throughout the region and swiftly got to work.

Delmarva Power teams worked around the clock to restore more than 8,700 customers affected by the storm in less than 24 hours. They replaced 10 transmission utility poles, dozens of wooden distribution poles and restrung thousands of feet of overhead wires.

Responding quickly to storms like this is part of our core purpose to provide customers with safe, reliable energy.

“Days like this make me proud to be part of this remarkable team,” said Gary Stockbridge, region president of Delmarva Power. “What our crews accomplished together, using their experience, determination and grit, and getting it all done safely – is incredible.”