Twenty-four hours after Hurricane Milton’s initial landfall, 96% of Clay Electric members had power after a productive first day of restoration. Thursday began with about 35,000 members out; at 9 p.m., about 7,000 remained without power, mostly in the hardest-hit areas of Flagler, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam and Volusia counties.

Fortunately, Milton’s path spared a majority of the service area. It also moved faster than expected, allowing crews to begin restoration efforts much sooner than anticipated.

The restoration effort continues on Friday as Clay Electric personnel, along with mutual aid and contract crews, work toward achieving substantial restoration (greater than 98% with power).

We estimate that all members of Flagler, Lake, Marion, Putnam, Volusia and Levy counties will have power restored by noon on Saturday, October 12.

Some things to keep in mind throughout Friday:

• If you don’t see one of our trucks outside your home, it’s likely the cause of your outage is out of sight. It’s likely we’re working to repair damages to the main lines that serve your neighborhood.
• If someone nearby has power and you don’t, remember that streets can be served by different feeder lines. The line that serves your neighbor may not serve you.
• If you see one of our crews out working, please slow down and give them plenty of room. If possible, move over a lane, and please do not disturb their work.