Electrical service across Northeast Georgia is nearly fully restored following last weekend’s ice storm, with only a handful of scattered outages remaining as of early Thursday among local electric cooperatives and Georgia Power.
In some of the hardest-hit areas, including White, Habersham, and Rabun counties, crews worked around the clock to restore electricity to tens of thousands of customers left without heat as Winter Storm Fern gripped the region. At the height of the storm, more than 70% of Habersham Electric Membership Corporation’s members in White County were without power. The Clarkesville-based cooperative announced on Jan. 29 that electrical service in White County had been fully restored.
HEMC serves just over 38,205 members across six North Georgia counties — Habersham, Hall, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, and White. The storm knocked out power to more than 23,000 of those members, a level of damage the cooperative described as an “unprecedented challenge.”
“What most people didn’t see were the moments behind the scenes: Crews battling single-digit temperatures and biting winds, working straight through the night to replace 113 broken poles—each one a six-hour ordeal—54,135 feet of wire, (stretched straight up- that’s the height of two Mt. Everest’s stacked on top of each other) and clear nearly 4,000 fallen trees from the lines,” the cooperative said.
Days without heat
As power returned across the region, residents shared stories with Now Georgia of how they endured days without electricity in dangerously cold conditions. For many, survival meant difficult decisions and temporary displacement.
Tiffany Pellegrino of Tiger said her family went days without heat in the cold before deciding to temporarily move in with family in a neighboring state.
“Original estimate of restoration was 8 pm Sunday evening. Multiple pushbacks in time, dangerously cold temperatures in the house yesterday morning, and no faith in the restoration times left us with the ultimate decision to leave our house yesterday morning and seek refuge up in Franklin, NC, at a family member’s house. The system is now showing noon today, but we have very little faith in that,” she said.
Despite the cold and frustration, in neighborhoods across the region, residents leaned on one another, checking in, sharing warmth, and celebrating small victories like restored meters or a safe place to sleep.
Cornelia resident Angell Rush said her Magnolia Villas neighborhood pulled together by “opening homes with power to those without.” She said people volunteered refrigerator and freezer space and even kept an eye on each other’s dogs. They “have posted on our neighborhood Facebook page that they have them and are taking care of them until they can be picked up.”
Another Habersham resident shared that she and her 4-year-old stayed with family after days without power, while her husband worked storm response as a tree crew member, “So he’s in a nice hotel,” she wrote. “We’re grateful today.”
Others remained in their homes, relying on generators, space heaters, and limited fuel to get through the cold. Sarah Chambers was among them. “I woke up to no power for a third morning. It’s definitely mentally taxing and with little sleep, but we are getting by,” she shared on Jan. 28, three days after the storm swept through Georgia.
For some, days spent in subfreezing temperatures without electricity proved eye-opening.
“If you want to find out if you married the right person, go through a three-day power outage with them,” one Now Georgia reader wrote. “It takes critical thinking, a dash of selflessness, someone who is thankful for small victories and a positive attitude. I married the right person.”
Another storm approaching
As cleanup from Winter Storm Fern winds down, Northeast Georgia is already preparing for the next weather threat. A Winter Storm Watch is now in effect for parts of the region, this time for snow rather than ice. That difference could reduce tree damage and power outages, though risks remain.
With subfreezing temperatures and moisture expected, officials continue to warn about black ice and the potential for iced-over power lines. Forecasts call for several inches of snow this weekend, prompting emergency management agencies to closely monitor the developing system.
In White County, residents have been asked to self-report storm-related property damage at whitecountyga.gov/selfreport. The same reporting tool is being used for downed trees or debris blocking driveways and preventing safe access in or out of homes. County officials say they have received numerous offers from volunteers and are actively coordinating assistance for residents in need.
The Red Cross shelters at the White County and Rabun County recreation centers have closed but are on standby as the new storm threat nears.
Dean Dyer of WRWH Radio contributed to this report
