Appalachian Power Offers Morning Update – January 26, 2026

-

Today, roughly 3,000 field workers across 57 counties are either assessing damage or restoring power. Winter Storm Fern blanketed APCo’s three-state footprint all day Sunday with heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain. The peak number of outages at 4 p.m. Sunday was 44,500. As of 9 a.m. Monday, about 33,000 customers are without power.

Field personnel today are combating high wind gusts, fallen trees and limbs, deep snow, frigid temperatures and icy surfaces. These hazardous conditions disrupt travel and delay power restoration work. Wind gusts exceeding 30 mph are expected to further delay.

APCo’s real-time Outage Map lists more than 120 warming centers open to the public across its footprint.

See below for current outage count by county. Use APCo’s real-time Outage Map for specific outage locations and ETRs.

How APCo Restores Power

  • During major outages, APCo prioritizes restoring circuits that deliver electricity to essential public safety facilities, such as hospitals, 911 call centers, water treatment plants and police and fire stations.
  • Next, crews focus on repairing lines and equipment that restore power to the largest groups of customers. Sometimes, a single repair can bring service back to hundreds or thousands of people. Crews then address repairs that restore power to smaller groups, often dozens of customers at a time.
  • Finally, power is restored to individual homes and businesses. This phase can take time after a major storm due to the high number of individual repairs needed.


Winter Storm Safety Tips from

  • Stay away from downed lines and anything they may be touching, including tree limbs and fences. Call 911 or APCo at 800-956-4237 immediately to report any safety concerns.
  • If you rely on electricity for medical equipment, have an emergency plan and review it regularly.
  • Extreme cold can overload lines as power is restored to large numbers of customers. Often, we must restore outages in smaller groups to allow the electric load to settle. Customers can help by turning off large electric appliances (like heaters and water heaters) for at least 15 minutes after power is returned.
  • When using a generator, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Run it outdoors, away from windows and doors, and ensure working carbon monoxide detectors are installed.
  • More tips on AppalachianPower.com/Safety

 

Staying Connected

APCo’s Storm Response Team encourages customers to enroll in Outage Alerts. Outage Alerts notify customers of power outages, their estimated restoration times (ETRs) and any applicable updates.

Follow APCo on FacebookX (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for updates.

Next Update

1 p.m. ET Monday, Jan. 26


Outage Count by County

VirginiaOutage Count
Albemarle0
Amherst0
Appomattox0
Bedford0
BlandLess than 5
Botetourt0
Buchanan0
Buckingham0
Campbell0
Carroll0
Craig0
Dickenson0
Floyd0
Fluvanna0
Franklin0
Giles0
Grayson516
Henry0
Montgomery21
Nelson0
Patrick12
Pittsylvania0
Pulaski0
Roanoke118
RussellLess than 5
Scott14
Smyth5,373
Tazewell0
Washington9,453
WiseLess than 5
Wythe32
West VirginiaOutage Count
Boone354
Cabell14
Clay235
Fayette15
GreenbrierLess than 5
Jackson86
Kanawha14,631
Lincoln1,726
Logan158
Marshall0
MasonLess than 5
McDowellLess than 5
Mercer0
Mingo294
Monroe0
Nicholas5
Ohio11
Putnam590
RaleighLess than 5
Roane311
Summers0
Wayne13
Wyoming119

LATEST POSTS

ODOT Offers Update for Blaine Hill Bridge Project

The project was started in mid-2025 after county officials and members of the public spoke out.

Wheeling Human Rights Commission Schedules Meeting for March 11th

The meeting will take place on the 3rd Floor because of building construction.

Bridgeport Schools Soon to Open ‘the Bridge’

The district has also embraced a partnership with Belmont County’s workforce development agency.

This Week in the W.Va. House of Delegates – March 8, 2026

State lawmakers will begin the final week of the regular session on Monday.