In the wake of the historic devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, Consumers Energy is stepping up to help with recovery efforts. On Wednesday, the company is deploying about 60 workers to Virginia, where communities have been leveled by the storm.

“This hurricane has caused catastrophic damage that has leveled entire communities. Consumers Energy hopes we can contribute and make a difference for so many people in need,” said Chris Laird, the company’s vice president of electric operations. “Our lineworkers have trained for conditions like these, and they will work around the clock to help get the lights back on.”

The team being sent includes 48 lineworkers, divided into 15 three-person crews, along with three individual service lineworkers, field leaders, and support staff. Equipped with the necessary tools and vehicles, the team is prepared for a deployment that could last up to two weeks.

As of Tuesday afternoon, approximately 65,000 homes and businesses in Virginia remained without power. Across five states, over 1.5 million customers were still affected by outages caused by Hurricane Helene.

The call for assistance came from regional mutual aid networks in the South. Similarly, the company has benefited from the support of neighboring states during major weather events in Michigan.