Severe overnight storms swept across the region, leaving thousands in the dark and prompting a massive response from the Volunteer Energy Cooperative (VEC).

At the height of the severe weather, approximately 14,643 VEC members lost power. Crews worked around the clock to address the damage, significantly reducing the active outages. As of the morning update, total affected customers across the entire VEC service area stood at 2,771, out of a total 132,327 customers.

Locally, the aftermath of the storms left lingering outages in several counties, including:

• Cumberland County: 553 customers affected

• Rhea County: 797 customers affected

VEC reports that field crews will remain on the job throughout the day, with additional personnel called in to assist with ongoing damage assessments and repairs. Officials emphasized that teams will continue working until service is safely restored to every affected home and business, and thanked the public for their continued patience and understanding.