Chad Stone
GENERAL MANAGER
It's hard to believe a year has passed since Hurricane Helene swept through South Carolina, leaving behind darkness and catastrophic destruction. Little River Electric will never forget Sept. 27. Since that day, there have been few moments when the storm hasn’t crossed our minds—we’re still cleaning up and dealing with the lasting effects Helene left behind.
This past year has been difficult. We’ve cried, celebrated big and small victories and we’ve taken hard-earned lessons to update our disaster response plans. Most importantly, we’ve developed a deeper appreciation for living in the Upstate, where hurricanes rarely impact us. And we’ve grown in our understanding and empathy for those who live along the coast, where storms like Helene are a far too common reality.
As harsh as the storm was, and as urgent as the need to restore power became, safety always remained our number one priority. We are thankful and truly blessed by the strength, skill and resilience of our people.
We are incredibly proud of our linemen and their unwavering dedication to restoring our entire system under extremely dangerous conditions. As always, they were the heroes on the front lines. But just as important were the many team members working behind the scenes to ensure they had everything they needed to perform their “super powers.”
From our office employees who worked around the clock preparing meals, snacks and clean uniforms— providing care and comfort to crews away from their families—to the dispatch team coordinating efforts without pause, every hand made a difference. Our warehouse personnel and purchasing department worked tirelessly, even through the night, to ensure materials were available. We are also grateful to the experienced office staff from a coastal co-op who joined us and offered valuable support in the thick of disaster response.
And perhaps most humbling of all was the overwhelming support from our community. You took care of us when we needed it most, fueling our resolve with your kindness, encouragement and generosity.
Thanks to the dedication of nearly 200 workers—lineworkers, right-of-way crews, office staff and volunteers—we completed our restoration efforts without a single time-loss injury. That is no small achievement, and it speaks volumes about the professionalism and heart of our team.
We are grateful. We are stronger. And we remain committed to serving this community—no matter what storms may come.
CHAD STONE
General Manager
