UPDATED, Friday 7 a.m.: Work to repair a damaged Tideland EMC transmission line has been completed, and power was restored just before 2 a.m. Friday to over 2,600 customers across Hyde County.
The damage, caused by a bullet from a high-powered rifle, was to a span of power line and fiber optic cable that is part of the 115-kilovolt transmission system in Hyde County was discovered around mid-December.
The fiber optic cable is the main component of Tideland’s smart-grid system, which allows the company to take readings, operate remote control meters and other functions.
The co-op said the cost of materials alone to fix the vandalized span is $33,000.
The outage will begin at 12:01 a.m. and last approximately three hours, and includes all members served by the Fairfield, Engelhard and Swindell Fork substations, and the Rose Bay circuit and Mattamuskeet circuits.
Affected customers have been notified by automated calls, and a text message will be sent Thursday morning.
“Before going to bed Thursday night, be sure to set a backup alarm clock to prevent oversleeping Friday morning,” the co-op said in a Facebook post on Monday.
