CONGRESSMAN MCINTYRE’S EFFORTS SUCCEED IN LANDING FEMA MITIGATION GRANT FOR SOUTH BRUNSWICK ISLANDS COMMUNITY

SUPPLY, NC, June 12, 2001 --- Cooperation between Brunswick Electric Membership
Corporation and many levels of town, county, state and federal government, along with a major assist from U.S. Representative Mike McIntyre has paid off in the form of more than $6.25 million dollars in a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) will replace 88 miles of existing overhead distribution line with insulated underground line in conduit with the funds authorized by FEMA. Funded through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Program (HGMP), the project is designed to reduce potential damage and long-term outages caused by severe storms.

Since 1993, the BEMC service area has sustained five named Hurricanes (Bertha, Fran, Bonnie, Dennis and Floyd) and two unnamed storms, causing a total of over $9 million in damages. Over 62% of the damage was to the island communities, as the overhead lines there are extremely vulnerable to wind damage. When Hurricane Bertha hit in 1996, BEMC had completed conversion of 85% of the distribution lines in Caswell Beach to underground. Caswell Beach has received no significant damage to the electrical system in any of the storms since, clearly demonstrating the value of underground installation. The new construction of underground lines in these highly vulnerable areas will significantly reduce the probability of catastrophic failure in future severe storms.

Preventive projects like this are in keeping with FEMA’s national initiative, which challenges the country to undertake actions that protect families, businesses and communities by reducing the effect of natural disasters. This type of project also requires cooperation between many levels of government, and BEMC has facilitated the necessary support to make this project a reality.

Chip Leavitt, General Manager of BEMC, states "Recognizing our responsibility to our membership and our local communities, we have for years been an industry leader in making underground a norm for new services to our system. At the same time, we have been upgrading existing overhead to underground with every opportunity as revenue and our work plan permits. These funds will enhance the service to our customers and system."
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Brunswick EMC serves over 50,000 members in the counties of Columbus, Brunswick, Bladen and Robeson. The cooperative is a member of Touchstone Energy, a network of local, customer-owned utilities around the country committed to providing superior service at affordable rates to all customers large and small.