(Jefferson, Ga., February 17, 2014) Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) has dispatched line crews to two of the central Georgia electric cooperatives hardest hit by ice during last week’s winter storm.

Crews left Friday evening for Washington EMC, headquartered in Sandersville, and Saturday evening for Jefferson Energy Cooperative, headquartered in Wrens. Ice accumulating during the storm tore down equipment and felled trees, leaving behind significant power outages. Jackson EMC’s crews will provide relief to the EMC and contractor crews that have been working since mid-week last week.

Jackson EMC had previously released outside contract crews brought in to assist with any outages in its service area, then released most of its own construction and right of way contract crews to help restore power to the storm-damaged region.

As of Sunday, Georgia electric cooperatives still had about 20,800 customers out of power.