(WSET) – Appalachian Power said they have restored power to 81%, or 229,900, customers who lost power in the wake of Hurricane Helene. AEP said with an additional 1,000 personnel arriving Wednesday morning, Appalachian Power will have 7,000 workers dedicated to restoring power. Fallen trees and difficult access remain a challenge in the hardest-hit areas of Southwest Virginia and Southern West Virginia. As of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, 52,100 customers remain without power.