Power outage OBX

Then there are those of us thinking, "Wonder if we can get cheap boondocking?"

Seriously....boondockers get the island to ourselves in prime summer season? How COOL would that be? :C

Oregon Inlet is very treacherous and there are three high power lines buried along the inlet floor. A few years ago during a bridge inspection they found a few pilings were not as anchored into the floor as they should be due to the rapid currents there as the tide changes. I feel pretty sure if high transmission lines were used that over time the sand would erode away from these as well. Not to mention the salt atmosphere would rapidly corrode overhead lines and supports. The electric company has not said but since a new bridge is being built along side the old one which is how the accident happened I feel pretty sure they could not lay new lines now. As of 6 pm today they think that only one line is severed and the other two are ok. If so power may be restored soon. It is a very complicated job for them to do with all the elements in place that hinder them. I just do not want anyone to get hurt doing the repair.
I do hate the fact that not only vacationers are being hurt by this the businesses on Hatteras Island and Ocracoke are in the middle of their busy season as well.

A lesson here. Buy trip insurance every time! These people are out many thousands of dollars each without it.
The Raleigh paper today stated that the line was noted in the plans but not at the site............... So whose fault is it now? Even in my neighborhood there are warning signs where even a telephone cable (remember them) crosses a road or whatever. Admittedly the signs could have been disturbed in earlier phases of the construction and unknown to the media hyping it up.

I read that there is some question if the insurance companies are going to pay the people who did have vacation/trip policies because this is a "man made disaster" and not a "natural disaster"

pinesman wrote:
I read that there is some question if the insurance companies are going to pay the people who did have vacation/trip policies because this is a "man made disaster" and not a "natural disaster"

aka "Guess which construction company is going to be SUED out of existence"

Shame for all involved or affected :(

News out of Raleigh this AM is that all 3 lines are "compromised". Odd choice of word for severed. I guess our beach house in Avon starting on the 12th is questionable. We'll see I guess.
Some folks have made other arrangements north of the break but that could backfire. Like if the power comes back on the day before the reservation starts and you already paid for a place in Duck also. Whoops!
Gordon3 has a good point, lay new cables bypassing the break and fix the current break in November. A seasonal area like OBX can ill afford a catastrophe like this. Storms are bad enough but this was just stupid.

Its a pity that the utility doesn't have a repair team connecting in a temporary splice until the proper repair is performed. Living in a tourist community myself, not only are vacationers losing but so are the business owners. In my town you need to make 12 months of money in under 6 months. Everyone is losing big time.

It was just updated that only two of the three lines was damaged. The first one has already been repaired and now they are working to expose and repair the second one. They are also working to install overhead temp lines at the same time. The report said they are unsure which one can be completed the fastest and restoring power is the top priority.

So maybe, just maybe it will only be a couple of more days before power is restored.

I'm sure the powers to be are doing everything possible to get things up and running asap. The revenue lost by the meters not turning must be astronomical.

We were there in May. Stayed at Frisco, National Park Campground.No hookups. Brough water with us and had generator so if you're fully self contained it shouldn't affect you unless they close the campground completely.