I bet part of this is a distraction. Someone needed the power out in order to do some random heist job in NC. So they kill power over a vast area. That way motive is virtually impossible to pinpoint.

Likely it's some security thing like some vault that needs constant power. You kill power in some massive way such that the backup generators will run out before everything comes online. Then Boom! pull off your elaborate heist to the tune of (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1lWoA2tgxQ) and walk away like nothing happened.