Today, Governor Cooper participated in calls with US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Department of Energy Officials on the impacts of the cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline. Sec. Granholm expressed that federal officials are working with utility and pipeline officials and pushing to quickly resume normal operations on the pipeline. Department of Energy Officials thanked the Governor for issuing his executive order declaring a State of Emergency and allowing for fuel waivers to make it easier to transport fuel supply in North Carolina. While North and South Carolina, along with Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia are expected to be most impacted by the pipeline shutdown, significant fuel supply shortages are not expected and normal operations are anticipated to restart in the coming days. Department of Energy Officials urged people not to panic buy gasoline.
The Governor issued the following statement on social media:
"I have talked today with federal officials including Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and we have a full court press to get the Colonial Pipeline back up and fully operating quickly. Report price gouging and please don't rush to top off your tanks."
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