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A workshop was held by the
Association of Illinois
Electric Cooperatives (AIEC)
January 31 to help electric
co-op officials better
understand how to work with
FEMA to obtain federal
disaster assistance.
"Many of our co-ops were
severely stressed during
this winter’s ice storms,"
said Duane Noland,
President/CEO of the AIEC.
"I was out of power myself
for nearly five days. An ice
storm like this is our
version of a hurricane. But
the electric co-op employees
in Illinois and the co-op
employees that came to help
from other states did a
heroic job of rebuilding
miles and miles of line. Now
our staff is working closely
with the Illinois Emergency
Management Agency, and
together we hope this
process for FEMA assistance
continues to move forward."
Noland said the electric
co-ops of Illinois maintain
34 percent of the state’s
electric distribution lines,
but only serve 5 percent of
the state’s consumers. The
financial burden of an ice
storm can be devastating to
member-owned electric
co-ops, he said.
In January, Governor Rod
Blagojevich asked President
Bush for federal assistance
for 26 counties hit hard by
the December ice storm. The
Federal disaster declaration
will help state and local
governments, municipal-owned
utilities and member-owned
electric co-ops with
storm-related costs.
Eleven Illinois electric
co-ops were hit by the
winter ice storm and
suffered an estimated total
$8 million in damages.
Overall the areas affected
suffered an estimated $19.5
million in damages.
"We’re still dealing with
the effects of the ice storm
that knocked out power for
up to a week in many areas,"
Gov. Blagojevich said. "In
fact, in less than a year,
communities across our state
have dealt with tornadoes,
thunderstorms, flooding and
record snowfalls. I’m hoping
the federal government takes
all of this into account as
they review our request." |
