NORTH CAROLINA -- It has been nearly five months since Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico. 

Some parts of the U.S. territory are still without power and employees from Duke Energy are doing their part to turn the lights back on. 

More than 200 linemen boarded a plane in January and went to Puerto Rico to help restore power. 

Russell Manning, a lineman from Charlotte, says he was eager to get the chance to help. 

Manning says crews are working 15-hour days to fix power lines up in the mountains.

He says even though the conditions are tough and the hours are long, it's worth it to see the lights come back on. 

"There's just cheers, and when you're driving back out of the neighborhood, everybody is outside dancing and jumping up and down, and just waving and blowing horns at you, and it's just pure joy," Manning says.  

The linemen are expecting to be in Puerto Rico through the beginning of March.