TUCKER, Ga., Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/

Personnel from electric membership corporations (EMCs) across Georgia are headed to Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi to help electric co-ops restore power to areas hardest hit following Hurricane Katrina.

"We are ready and eager to help," says Georgia EMC Vice President of Safety, Training & Education Jim Wright. "Being an electric co-op means calling upon your neighbors during emergencies. We have a mutual aid agreement that says if we're in trouble, they help us. In return, we help them."

As it stands now, crews will begin leaving Tuesday and Wednesday from Central Georgia EMC in Jackson, Coastal EMC in Midway, Flint Energies in Reynolds, Grady EMC in Cairo, Hart EMC in Hartwell, Irwin EMC in Ocilla, Mitchell EMC in Camilla, North Georgia EMC in Dalton, Ocmulgee EMC in Eastman, Rayle EMC in Washington, Sawnee EMC in Cumming, Southern Rivers Energy in Barnesville, Sumter EMC in Americus, Tri-County EMC in Gray, Walton EMC in Monroe and Washington EMC in Sandersville.

Moreover, the number of EMCs offering restoration assistance will likely increase in the days ahead, after co-ops in hard hit areas assess damage and request additional resources.

The EMCs in Georgia have extensive experience in restoring power following destruction from a variety of weather events, including hurricanes. In recent years, EMC crews have worked alongside co-ops in South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida.

GEMC is the statewide trade association representing the state's 42 EMCs, Oglethorpe Power Corporation and Georgia Transmission Corporation. Through this statewide network, the 42 customer-owned EMCs provide electricity and related services to four million people, nearly half of Georgia's population, across 73 percent of the state's land area. Georgia's 42 electric cooperatives now serve more customers than any other state network of EMCs in the nation and employ 4,700 workers in the state.

GTC is a not-for-profit cooperative, providing electric transmission service to 39 electric membership cooperatives throughout Georgia. It owns more than $1 billion in assets, including more than 2,600 miles of transmission lines and 570 substations across the state.