00:00In western North Carolina, a new solar microgrid is powering hope by keeping community centers
00:05and food banks running through outages. This system stores 68 kilowatt hours of power,
00:11enough to keep freezers, and lights on for a full day without sunlight. It's the first of 26 planned
00:17microgrids designed to support essential places like fire departments during emergencies.
00:22A $5 million state grant is funding this push for resilience hubs, trusted local spaces equipped to
00:29help communities when disaster strikes. But resilience isn't just about buildings. It also
00:34lives in people's skills. After Hurricane Helene, chainsaw workshops taught hundreds how to clear
00:39debris and reopen blocked roads. Meanwhile, radio networks grew too, with general mobile radio
00:46service licenses rising 130 percent to keep neighbors connected when cell towers fail.
00:52Two years after Helene, western North Carolina is turning emergency lessons into lasting community
00:58strength. Building a safer future for all. Disclosure. This video contains stock footage
01:03and content created or enhanced using AI-assisted tools.
