Norwich ― Norwich Public Utilities electricity crews have been dispatched to Georgia and South Carolina to assist with power recovery following the devastation of Hurricane Helene.

On Thursday evening, NPU foreman Scott Smith and linemen Tom Holmes and Nate Dimmock arrived in Oxford, Ga. They worked Friday and Saturday, restoring power to hundreds of customers of the Oxford City Utility, NPU said in a news release.

Late Saturday, the NPU crewmen were transferred to McCormack, S.C., a town of approximately 2,400 on the Georgia-South Carolina state line. They began working early Sunday morning to restore power to customers of the McCormack Commission of Public Works. The town has been severely impacted by flooding, with limited public water or cellphone service in the area, NPU said.

On Monday morning, NPU’s Tony Rizzi, an electric maintenance manager, was dispatched to McCormack to replace Smith. Rizzi is bringing water, bedding and blankets and additional supplies with him. It is estimated that McCormack is about 14 hours by truck from Norwich.

NPU’s mutual aid efforts are in response to request made by the Northeast Public Power.

“We understand the importance of providing mutual aid when we can, because it’s entirely possible that one day, NPU will be the organization asking for help,” NPU General Manager Chris LaRose said in a news release.

NPU will provide updates on its mutual aid efforts throughout the week on its Facebook page.