KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, Fla. – Governor Rick Scott stopped by Clay Electric Cooperative’s central office Thursday morning to congratulate the employees on their efforts to restore service to members following Hurricane Matthew.
The cooperative had more than 73,000 members out of power the morning of Saturday, Oct. 8, and in three days all accounts were back in service.
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“You should be proud of how fast you got it done,” Gov. Scott told a group of employees gathered to hear his remarks. “I want to thank you for what you do because I know it’s a dangerous job.”
The governor presented employees with a Hurricane Matthew Disaster Response Medal. All 420 Clay Electric employees will receive a medal.
Clay Electric Board of Trustee President Dewitt Hersey offered his congratulations to employees for a job well done, recognizing that getting the power back on required employees to be away from home for many hours.
Ricky Davis, Clay Electric’s CEO/General Manager, said Clay has the best employees anywhere. Davis said he had daily conversations with the governor during the restoration process, who wanted to know if the cooperative needed any assistance.
Clay Electric mustered a workforce of 650 outside construction and right-of-way contract employees from across the Southeastern states, along with 150 Clay employees. They began restoration efforts Saturday, Oct. 8 at 6 a.m., and by Monday, Oct. 10 at 10 p.m., all accessible accounts were back on. Power was restored on two remote islands in the St. Johns River two days later.