27 January, 2026 DREMC Crews Continue Major Restoration Effort as Work Pushes Into Hardest Hit Areas
Summary
As of 11:45 a.m., 1,196 members remain without power across the service area. Since the peak of the storm, DREMC has restored service to nearly 8,000 affected members – down from a peak of 9,283 at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation (DREMC) crews continue making steady progress restoring power following the extensive damage caused by Winter Storm Fern. As of 11:45 a.m., 1,196 members remain without power across the service area.
Since the peak of the storm, DREMC has restored service to nearly 8,000 affected members – down from a peak of 9,283 at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning. The outages that remain are the most difficult to reach and repair, with crews encountering broken poles, spans of line on the ground, and heavily obstructed access routes in remote areas.
Maury County continues to be the hardest‑hit region, with significant damage in the Mt. Pleasant, Williamsport, Santa Fe, and Culleoka communities. Crews expect to make strong progress today as access improves in several locations, though some of the most remote repairs may still take additional time.
Scale of Damage
Winter Storm Fern left widespread ice accumulation across rural and rugged terrain, bringing down trees, limbs, and equipment throughout the service area. Crews continue to encounter broken poles, spans of line on the ground, and repeated re‑outages caused by falling limbs. In many locations, trees and debris are blocking access entirely, and some repairs require specialized equipment to reach off‑road sites. These conditions continue to slow restoration and demand extensive, hands‑on repair work.
Scale of Response
To meet the scale of the damage, DREMC has deployed every feasible resource. Thirty crews are working in Maury County alone, supported by approximately 360 personnel system‑wide — including line crews, engineers, and internal staff. Contractor crews and DREMC teams from multiple districts are working side by side, and eight track machines are in service to reach rural, off‑road locations that trucks cannot access.
Thoughts from DREMC Leadership
As we move into the final stages of restoration, DREMC is sharing a look behind the scenes through insights from the leaders guiding this work.
“One of the things that makes me most proud to work at Duck River is our commitment to being a community partner. We recently launched a program called Commitment to Community, but during Winter Storm Fern, what I’ve seen is a commitment to the cooperative from the communities we serve. Restaurants have rallied to feed our crews at all hours, and members have offered encouragement to our linemen. Everyone has come together during this storm, and it makes me incredibly proud to serve the members we serve.”
– James Wright, President & CEO
“I can’t speak highly enough of the people who are putting in the extra effort to restore power after this storm. Every department at Duck River, along with our contractors, spent time preparing by moving equipment and personnel into the area before the storm hit. Because of that preparation, restoration began immediately. We strategically pre‑staged both right‑of‑way and construction crews in the areas we expected to be hit hardest. Despite everything Winter Storm Fern has thrown at us and the members we serve, the word that keeps coming to mind is perseverance. Our team is grateful for the support we’ve received from our members as we continue making effective, efficient repairs.”
– Rob Edde, Chief Operating Officer
“Safety remains our number one priority. Hazardous conditions are making restoration extremely challenging, and crews are doing everything they can to restore power safely and as quickly as conditions allow. This morning, one of our crews had to cut 41 trees along a short stretch of roadway just to reach the line they were working to repair. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through damage like this.”
– Brad Vincent, Safety Coordinator
Progress and What to Expect
Crews restored several large areas yesterday and overnight, and many of those locations remained energized this morning. As access improves, teams are moving deeper into damaged sections of the system.
However, the remaining outages are the most complex and time‑consuming repairs on the system. Some may require replacing poles, rebuilding spans of line, or clearing significant debris before work can begin. As a result, some outages may extend a day or more.
DREMC will continue posting updates as restoration progresses.
