Powering Communities: Upgrading the Grid in Horry County

Why It Matters

A more resilient, automated grid safeguards businesses, essential services, and public safety in a region vulnerable to frequent storms, directly preserving economic stability and community well‑being.

Key Takeaways

• Rapid growth strains Conway’s electricity infrastructure and reliability.
• Automated switches aim to restore power within minutes.
• DOE Office of Electricity grant funds the grid‑resilience project.
• Faster restoration benefits businesses, schools, and hurricane shelters.
• Enhanced grid reduces economic losses during storms and outages.

Summary

The video spotlights Horry County’s ambitious effort to modernize Conway’s electric grid amid explosive population growth. Leveraging a Department of Energy Office of Electricity grant, the utility plans to install automated switching technology that can reroute power instantly when a pole is downed or a storm knocks out service.

Kevin Woodnum of Horry Electric explains that the new switches will cut restoration times from hours to minutes, eliminating the need for manual crew dispatch in many cases. The system detects a fault, reverses power flow, and isolates the outage, keeping critical loads—restaurants, schools, and shelters—online. The DOE grant makes the costly project feasible, covering equipment and engineering expenses that would otherwise be prohibitive.

Local voices underscore the stakes: Russell, owner of Big D’s Barbecue, describes daily revenue loss during outages; Randy, the self‑styled “Hurricane Guy,” warns that the region is one storm away from catastrophic damage; and Lisa highlights schools serving as hurricane shelters, needing reliable heat and lighting for displaced families.

If successful, the automated grid will boost community resilience, protect economic activity, and serve as a template for other fast‑growing coastal municipalities confronting climate‑driven power threats.

Original Description

Conway, South Carolina is a charming river town experiencing rapid growth in population, economic opportunity, and development. However, this expansion also brings some challenges with increased strain on its infrastructure, resulting in a potential for frequent power outages caused by storms, car accidents, and even the occasional wildlife. For Horry County Emergency Management Director Randy Webster, a resilient grid is essential to keep the community safe when storms strike, especially for emergency shelters during hurricane season. These outages can also result in significant inconvenience and disruption to day-to-day life, including for local businesses like Russell Davis's popular barbecue restaurant, Big D's BBQ Trough, which can translate to lost revenue and missed opportunities to provide the community a warm meal.

However, there's good news on the horizon. Thanks to funding from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO) through the Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants program. Conway’s utility provider, Horry Electric Cooperative, is upgrading its power grid with automated switches. These new switches will allow for faster power restoration, reducing outages from hours to minutes, and keep the grid balanced during disruptions.