Tampa Electric Co. sent nearly 70 workers to Alabama today to help restore power to the storm-battered region and more employees could be dispatched in coming days.
The TECO workers include linemen, damage assessment experts, support crews and supervisors. In addition, the contingent includes 45 line workers from private companies that contract with TECO.
The crews and their trucks left Tampa heading to the Birmingham area, which was hit by powerful storms overnight Wednesday and this morning. They will join repair crews from as far away as Illinois.
At least 335,000 customers in Alabama were without power even before utility officials could tally the full damage from Wednesday night's explosion of storms.
The TECO crews expect to start work about 6 a.m. Friday, said line supervisor Richard Jackson.
"It's a great accomplishment when you go up there and you help these people for a week or two weeks, whatever it takes to get power on," he said.
"We know there's going to be destruction," Jackson said.
One of the biggest threats crews face is home generators sending electricity through power lines outside the house, he said.
The effort is part of an agreement among utilities in the Southeast to provide help after disasters, TECO spokesman Rick Morera said. The company may send more crews if requested.
"We don't know what the conditions are up there," Morera said.
A spokesman for Alabama Power Co. said damage from the deadly storms already surpassed what was seen after hurricanes Dennis and Frederick and could exceed what the area saw after hurricanes Katrina and Ivan.
Alabama Power officials will determine how long the TECO workers are needed.
"We'll be there as long as they need us," Morera said.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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