Birmingham, AL – Alabama Power says it's lowered its damage estimate from the April tornadoes, and the Public Service Commission has approved about a 3 percent increase for customers to pay for repairs and replenish the storm reserve fund.
The state's largest utility now estimates the tornado outbreak caused as much as $200 million in damage, down from an earlier forecast of as much as $280 million.
Paying for the damaged and destroyed substations, poles and towers emerged as an immediate practical problem after the April 27 storms and tornadoes that killed 244 Alabamians. About 900 miles of wire was toppled, 318 sub-stations damaged or de-stroyed, and 7,600 poles downed.
The change approved by the PSC eliminates a small credit that has been appearing on customer bills for many years.
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