Canoochee Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) will receive more than $754,000 in federal disaster assistance for emergency protective measures taken in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The funding is part of more than $22.7 million being awarded to Georgia by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for eight disaster recovery projects across the state.
According to FEMA, Canoochee EMC’s award will reimburse costs associated with emergency protective measures undertaken following Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread damage to electrical infrastructure and left communities across southeast Georgia without power in September 2024.
The funding is being provided through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which reimburses eligible organizations and local governments for disaster-related expenses, including debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair or replacement of damaged public infrastructure.
Unlike funding designated for permanent infrastructure repairs, emergency protective measures generally include actions taken to address immediate threats to public safety and protect property following a disaster.
Canoochee EMC is one of several electric membership corporations in Georgia receiving funding in the latest round of federal disaster assistance.
Other awards announced by FEMA include:
- Slash Pine Electric Membership Corporation: More than $9.1 million for debris removal operations and utility repairs.
- Satilla Rural Electric Membership Corporation: More than $7.4 million for emergency protective measures.
- Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation: More than $3.2 million for emergency protective measures.
- Wellstar Health System: More than $1.8 million for emergency protective measures related to COVID-19.
The five awards identified in FEMA’s announcement account for approximately $22.3 million of the $22.7 million allocated to Georgia.
The agency did not provide a detailed breakdown of Canoochee EMC’s reimbursable expenses in the announcement.
The Georgia awards are part of a larger nationwide funding announcement totaling more than $896 million for over 620 disaster recovery projects.
FEMA said the funding is intended to help communities recover from disasters while supporting the restoration of essential services and critical infrastructure.
