Dominion Energy holds statewide meetings to prepare for hurricane season

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Dominion Energy is meeting with local governments across South Carolina to ensure emergency officials and power crews are prepared for hurricane season, emphasizing that planning and coordination must happen before storms strike.

While meteorologists and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict a slower hurricane season due to an El Niño weather pattern, power companies and emergency managers say preparation remains critical.

Dominion Energy officials say the meetings focus on building relationships with local leaders, reviewing storm response plans and improving communication before outages occur.

“Once a storm does hit and power lines are down and emergency responders are in the field, that’s not the time to be building relationships,” said Matt Long, a spokesperson for Dominion Energy. “It’s now, on a nice sunny day like today.”

Dominion Energy serves more than 800,000 customers statewide. The company says falling trees are the leading cause of power outages, making year‑round vegetation management a key part of storm preparedness.

The meetings also address power restoration efforts after severe weather, including how local governments and utilities can work together to connect customers with assistance programs during extended outages.

“A big thing we like to do is make sure we work with local governments to help educate them on what we do,” Long said. “That way there’s a two‑way conversation during a storm to make restoration more efficient for customers.”

Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster attended Friday’s meeting alongside dozens of emergency officials. He said the annual gatherings help refine emergency response plans and improve coordination during disasters.

Foster also urged residents to prepare emergency kits and remain patient if power outages occur.

“The biggest thing is to be patient with those people out there working,” Foster said. “They’re working in a horrifically dangerous environment and they’re doing their best, so pack a little patience and understanding.”

Dominion Energy encourages customers to download the company’s mobile app to report outages and track restoration progress in real time.

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