NORTH, S.C. — Aiken Electric Cooperative is building a storm restoration and community center in North. It will serve up to 100 linemen responding to storm-related power outages in the area by giving them a place to sleep, eat, and shower.
"Just didn't have them enough time to get the proper rest they needed. By the time we fed them and they drove an hour to a motel room that was available if we could find any and get back it cut back on their time," said North area director Thomas Sharpe.
Keeping the linemen housed locally during a storm will give them more time to rest and help improve response time.
"They're here already so you don't have to wait for crews to get here, get held up in traffic to get back to work the next day so that helps out tremendously," he said.
Its North location serves about 10,000 customers in Orangeburg, Lexington, and Calhoun counties. The building will also serve as a community center open to the public to reserve for events.
"This is the only one that I know of that's gonna be this size. This is gonna be real good for the community. There's nothing around like this building and it'll be a big benefit for the members and the community."
The goal is to open the restoration and community center in September.