Nashville Electric Service under fire for alleged refusal of assistance during widespread power outages
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE (WZTV) - Nashville Electric Service (NES) is facing a storm of criticism for allegedly turning down help from willing linemen and contractors as thousands of customers remain without power in the wake of a winter storm. The situation has left an estimated quarter of a million people shivering in sub-freezing temperatures.
Two members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) revealed to FOX 17 News that NES had not contacted their union or accepted assistance from available crews, potentially opting for cheaper contractors. This decision comes as a shock, especially given the scale of the crisis.
At the peak of the outages, NES reported over 109,000 customers without power in Nashville, a figure that affected a quarter of a million people. One IBEW member, who wished to remain anonymous, shared a chilling account. Linemen from across the country attempted to rush to Nashville to restore power, but were met with a disappointing response.
"I've had numerous people reach out, eager to come to Nashville and help restore power," the union member said. "But they keep hearing the same refrain: NES is full and doesn't need the help." The lineman added that he believed NES's reluctance to pay union rates was a significant factor.
Another IBEW lineman, also requesting anonymity, revealed that he and around 18,000 other linemen were initially staged in North Carolina. However, after the storm proved less severe, the crews were reassigned - but not to Nashville. He expressed frustration, questioning why they weren't sent to Nashville, where the crisis was most severe.
"Why are we 10 minutes down the road with 2,000 outages when we could be 15 minutes to Nashville and help with 215 broken poles?" the lineman asked. "Union or non-union, they could bring in way more people."
During a press briefing, NES was directly asked whether it had refused help. Spokesperson Brent Baker denied the accusation, stating that the utility had not turned down assistance.
"As far as we know, no," Baker said. "We are sticking to the path of bringing on the crews that we have partnered with and through the mutual aid."
FOX 17 News attempted to get more details by sending an email to NES, asking which crews were turned away, why they were declined, and whether union status played a role. However, no response had been received at the time of publication.
In the meantime, a petition has been launched, urging NES to hire any available linemen, arguing that more workers are needed than the current 700 assigned. The urgency of the situation is emphasized by Cecilia Prado from the Nashville People Power Committee, who stated, "People's homes are in the 30s, and it's going to be single digits outside again. People are going to die."
FOX 17 News has also received numerous social media comments from viewers reporting similar claims that NES declined help from contractors or union members. The station promises to continue seeking answers from NES and will provide updates when a response is received.
