Clover, South Carolina Struggles to Recover from Hurricane Helene’s Devastation

Clover, South Carolina Faces Challenges Following Hurricane Helene

Clover, SC – The aftermath of Hurricane Helene has left many residents in the Clover area reeling from power outages that lasted more than three days. Several school districts in York County, including Rock Hill Schools, Clover Schools, and York District One, decided to close their doors on Monday as the community grapples with the destruction left behind by the storm.

Power Restoration Underway

In York County, particularly along SC Hwy 161, power crews worked tirelessly to replace damaged power poles that had fallen like dominoes during the storm. Shannon Littleton, a foreman with York Electric Cooperative, explained how interconnected the poles are, saying, “You change the tension on one pole, and it gets to be too much, and it falls and then the next one and the next one, and the next one.”

A Historic Level of Damage

According to Porter Gable, Vice President of Communications and Outreach for York Electric Cooperative, the extent of the damage is unlike anything seen in South Carolina in years. “This is unprecedented for the state of South Carolina. We haven’t seen damage like this since Hugo. In our area during Hurricane Hugo, we had 20,000 meters without power, which was our entire system. Now we’ve expanded to over 70,000 meters, and 34,000 were without power because of Hurricane Helene.”

Dedicated Linemen on the Ground

As the winds subsided, dedicated linemen from the cooperative jumped into action. “We’ve been working about 18 to 19 hours a day since Friday,” Littleton shared. “I’m tired. I used to not get as tired, but I’ve been doing this for a good little while now. But this isn’t just about us. It’s about our families at home.” With power out at his residence for two days, he emphasized the hardships of returning home to darkness while trying to restore power for others.

Community Solidarity in Clover

As work continued, residents in Clover shared their experiences. Charity Upchurch, a lifelong resident, reported that 7,000 families were still without power on Monday morning. “Over in Bethany, they are going on 60+ hours with no power,” she noted while walking with her son, Caleb, at a closed Clover Middle School.

Fortunately, the community has come together to support one another during this challenging time. “Luckily, the community really comes together and helps people,” Charity said. With social media serving as a valuable tool, residents have been reaching out, saying, ‘Hey, I need [this or that],’ and others have stepped up to provide assistance.

The Challenges of Restoration

York Electric Cooperative reported that they encountered more than 70 broken poles across their service territory. “On average, it takes between two to four hours to repair a broken pole,” Gable explained. Each crew can manage around three repairs in one day. “It gets overwhelming,” Littleton admitted, “You just gotta take it one day at a time, one meter at a time, one wire, one pole until we get it all back on.”

Restoration Goals

The cooperative aims to restore power to much of York County by the end of the day. They acknowledged that some remote areas may take longer to restore, but they are hopeful to have everything back online by Saturday at 11 p.m. The cooperative also collaborates with Duke Energy to expedite the process, sharing resources and manpower.

Support from Near and Far

In a show of solidarity, crews from Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma joined the efforts to get the power back on. “It’s a tremendous thing to work for an electric cooperative,” Gable said. “We’re in this together. We’re going home to a dark house. We’re taking cold showers or sometimes using the showers at the co-op. This is our community, and this is our home.”

As the Clover area moves forward after the storm, the resilience and unity of its residents shine through the challenges they face.