As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 10 approximately 25,000 SWEPCO customers are without power following a second round of storms that moved through the Ark-La-Tex Tuesday afternoon.
While SWEPCO employees and contractors are working quickly and safely to restore service, the additional lines of storms brought a second day of damaging winds and intense lightning that slowed progress and impacted transmission and distribution infrastructure. As always, SWEPCO crews will not stop until the last customer who can receive power is restored.
Flooding creates a unique and dangerous restoration environment. Flooding can make it more difficult to safely make repairs, which may result in longer than usual power restoration times.
System Impacts
Damage assessors report widespread damage with downed power lines, significant flooded areas and fallen trees and limbs throughout the area.
In East Texas and Southwest Arkansas, crews are utilizing specialized track equipment to navigate areas difficult to access from saturated grounds or heavy brush. In addition, repairs in some flooded parts of East Texas will require crews to utilize a boat.
Crew Support
Additional crews from SWEPCO’s Fayetteville district and SWEPCO’s sister operating companies, AEP Texas and Public Service of Oklahoma, are assisting with the efforts to restore service to the communities as safely and quickly as possible.
At the peak of the storm’s impact, approximately 35,000 customers were without power. SWEPCO has provided estimated restoration times for areas impacted by the storm.
However, service could be restored sooner. Customers who signed up for email or text alerts could receive direct updates on the estimated restoration time at their home or business as crews continue working to restore power.
SWEPCO estimates power will be restored to 95 percent of customers by these times:
Arkansas
11:59 p.m. Wednesday
- Texarkana area, including Nashville.
Texas
- 11:59 p.m. Wednesday
- Texarkana area, including Mt. Pleasant and Atlanta areas.
11:59 p.m. Thursday
- Henderson area
- Marshall area
- Longview area
- Louisiana
10 pm. Wednesday
- Bossier City area
- Vivian area
- Plain Dealing area
10 pm. Thursday
- Shreveport area
- Noon Saturday
- Mansfield area
- Natchitoches area
- Hornbeck area
Customer Repairs
If there is damage to the service entrance or weatherhead on the home or business, users must have a qualified electrician repair this damage before power can be restored.
Flooding can damage electrical systems and inspections by a licensed electrician may be required before a home can receive power.
If a customer’s electric meter boxes, conduits or wires were under water, or are bent or broken, or if water rose above electrical outlets, customers should contact a licensed electrician. Customers should never touch damaged equipment.
Service entrance
The service entrance includes the metal box housing SWEPCO's meter, the weatherhead pipe on top of the meter box, the service entrance cables running from the weatherhead through the meter box to the inside panel box, and other related facilities.