FEMA awards another $1 million to Southeast Georgia electric cooperative

A Southeast Georgia electric cooperative serving more than 22,000 accounts is receiving another $1 million in federal Hurricane Helene recovery funding.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced the allocation for Excelsior Electric Membership Corporation as part of an additional $5 million in disaster-recovery funding approved for Georgia.

Excelsior EMC is based in Metter and provides electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers across portions of Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Jenkins and Tattnall counties.

Five of those counties—Bryan, Bulloch, Effingham, Evans and Tattnall—are within the News Now Georgia coverage area.

The latest $1 million allocation is designated for emergency protective measures associated with Hurricane Helene.

Emergency protective measures generally include eligible work performed to protect lives, maintain essential services and prevent additional damage during and immediately after a disaster.

This is the second substantial FEMA allocation announced for Excelsior EMC this summer.

In July, FEMA approved approximately $971,000 for repairs to the cooperative’s electrical distribution system damaged by Hurricane Helene.

Together, the two announced awards total approximately $1.97 million. The funding is reimbursement for eligible storm-related work rather than a general operating grant or direct payment to individual customers.

Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage to electric systems across South and Southeast Georgia when it crossed the state in September 2024.

Electric cooperatives faced the cost of replacing damaged poles, transformers and power lines while also paying for emergency crews, equipment and mutual-aid assistance needed to restore service.

Because Excelsior EMC is owned by its members, federal reimbursement can help the cooperative recover eligible disaster expenses that otherwise must be absorbed through its finances.

However, Excelsior EMC and FEMA have not publicly said whether the funding will have any direct effect on members’ electricity rates.

The agencies also have not released a detailed list of the emergency protective measures covered by the latest $1 million allocation or stated whether the full amount has already been distributed.

Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia