Annual hurricane season prep meetings underway

Mississippi Power employees across the company’s 23-county service territory are taking part in annual storm preparation meetings during the month of May.

The meetings focus on the role of employees and the company before, during and after a storm event affecting the South Mississippi.

“The message of the day is communication,” Engineering Supervisor Joe Cole said. “I don’t believe it’s possible to over-communicate.”

During the discussion, employees review the process involved to begin assessing damage and restoring electric service to customers.

Changes and improvements are made to the plan every year based on knowledge gained from previous storm experiences.

“We’re talking a lot about generators, solar panels and backfeeding,” Cole said. “The cost of generators has come down a good bit so more residents are using them and they are much quieter. You may also come across a home that has solar panels on the roof, so the concern for backfeed is greater than ever before.”

Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean begins on June 1.