(Published August 16‚ 2004)

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Almost everyone in South Carolina who lost electricity as a weakened Hurricane Charley hit the state have had power restored, utility companies say.

About 112,000 customers of Progress Energy in northeast South Carolina and North Carolina lost service during the storm Saturday. All South Carolina customers have had service restored, utility spokeswoman Karen Stinneford said Sunday.

About 65,000 customers of the state-owned utility, Santee Cooper, lost service during the storm. About 400 customers in Horry County were still without service Sunday night, the utility said.

All 32,000 customers of South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. who lost service have had electrical power restored, company spokeswoman Mary Green Brown said.

Of the approximately 25,000 Horry County Electric Cooperative customers who lost power, fewer than 100 were without power Sunday evening, spokeswoman Penelope Hinson said.

About 3,500 Berkeley County Electric Cooperative customers lost service during Charley. Only a few dozen were without service Sunday evening in the McClellanville and Awendaw areas.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com