DEC Restores Power Following Historic Winter Storm

On February 22, DEC experienced the most impactful weather event to strike our service territory since the Ice Storm of 1994. At its height, conditions were so bad that crews working in the blizzard halted restoration efforts out of concern for their safety. 

By the time conditions had improved enough for them to renew their efforts the next morning, 61,000 members were without power, and some areas had received up to 20 inches of snow. Hundreds of trees had fallen on lines, and more than 71 poles had been broken. With the help of mutual aid, contract and vegetation crews — as well as one crew from the City of Dover — our team got to work. Lineworkers replaced and repaired equipment. Dispatchers coordinated restoration with crews. Stockmen in the warehouse distributed supplies to those working in the field. Member service representatives provided information to members seeking answers during extended outages. Every department had a part to play, and through its continuous cold and challenges, this blizzard reinforced that restoring service after a storm is a team effort. 

On Thursday, February 26, after more than 80 hours of around-the-clock work, the Co-op announced that the majority of members were back on. We are incredibly proud of our team's response during the storm, and thank members for their patience and support as they worked to get the lights back on.