Bluefield University’s campus is slowly regaining power after the outage in the region that left it in complete darkness last week in the wake of Hurricane Helene. While some buildings now have power, many areas remain without electricity, and university officials are urging caution as efforts continue to restore service.
The loss of power was caused by a severe storm that swept through the region, knocked down trees and power lines, and disrupted critical infrastructure. Teams have been working around the clock to repair the damage, but the situation’s complexity means full restoration could take longer than anticipated.
“Our first priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Bluefield University’s new President, Dr. Steve Peterson. “While we’re grateful that partial power has been restored to some parts of campus, there is still a lot of work ahead of us to get back to normal operations.”
Essential items like food service remained operational despite the power loss, ensuring students had access to food and safe accommodations. However, several residence halls, academic buildings, and administrative offices remain offline.
Residential classes were canceled ahead of fall break allowing some students to return home until campus is completely restored. Faculty members, many of whom have been affected by the storm, have been working closely with our online students and classes to maintain academic progress, despite the disruptions.
“It’s been a challenging few days, but the resilience of our community has been remarkable,” added Dr. Peterson. “Everyone is pitching in, whether its staff members making sure the generators are running or faculty adapting lessons on the fly. We’re getting through this together.”
“I’m really thankful for all the staff, faculty, and students that came out to help in the cleanup effort,” said Corey Mullins, BU’s Vice President for Student Development Athletics. “Even though it’s difficult to go through a time like this, it does restore your faith in the community, and it’s good to come together for a common cause. We are committed to providing the best experience we can on campus for students and that takes a lot of effort from people from different areas.”
The university is coordinating closely with the town of Bluefield and the local power company to expedite repairs. The official timeline has been a moving target as the damage was assessed and additional trouble areas identified. University officials are asking for patience as they navigate the situation.
In the meantime, students and staff are encouraged to stay informed through email notifications, social media, and the university’s emergency communication channel, Ram Alert, to receive updates on power restoration and any further adjustments to campus services.
“We’re not in the clear yet,” Dr. Peterson emphasized. “But we are making progress, and together we’ll overcome this challenge.”
Bluefield University will continue to update the community as more information becomes available.
