CAPE HATTERAS – Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative have determined their decision for the fastest, safest solution to restore power to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.
After pursuing two different options over the past several days, they have determined that the overhead solution is the best option.
Crews started installing poles Monday to create an overhead transmission line running from the south end of the Bonner Bridge to the existing overhead transmission line. They finished installing the poles on Tuesday afternoon and started installing the new overhead cables on Tuesday night.
The crews will then have to connect the new overhead cables in two places — to the existing underground lines just before the site of the damage and to the existing overhead lines that run the length of Hatteras Island.
A specialist team from New River Electrical is doing prep work for creating the transition from underground to overhead in order to connect the cables.
Until this point, crews were also working on a second solution involving exposing the underground cables at the site of the damage and splicing them back together.
However, water continued to be a problem and trench conditions proved to be too challenging to make this a viable solution.
Crews expect that power will be restored within 3-5 days, which includes time for required testing after all the construction is complete.
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