As of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 10, roughly 25,000 customers of Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) in the Ark-La-Tex region are experiencing power outages following Tuesday's severe weather. Efforts to restore power are ongoing, as SWEPCO crews work diligently despite obstacles created by a series of violent storms. These weather events have caused significant disruptions by bringing destructive winds and intense lightning, slowing restoration progress and affecting transmission and distribution networks.
Challenges in Restoration
Flood conditions are presenting additional challenges, complicating repair efforts
Flood conditions are presenting additional challenges, complicating repair efforts and potentially extending power restoration times. Damage assessments reveal widespread issues, such as downed lines, flooded areas, fallen trees, and debris throughout the affected regions.
In East Texas and Southwest Arkansas, teams are using specialized track equipment to traverse difficult terrain created by heavy rains or dense brush. In certain flooded zones of East Texas, boats are necessary to reach and fix damaged infrastructure.
Additional Support and Estimated Restoration Times
To enhance recovery operations, extra crews from SWEPCO’s Fayetteville district, along with personnel from AEP Texas and Public Service of Oklahoma, have been mobilized. At the height of the storm, approximately 35,000 customers were without power. SWEPCO has issued estimated restoration timelines for areas most affected, although services could be restored before these estimations. Customers subscribed to email or text notifications may receive personalized updates on restoration times. SWEPCO projects that 95 percent of affected customers will have power restored by the following times:
- Arkansas: By 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, covering Texarkana and Nashville areas.
- Texas: By 11:59 p.m. Wednesday for the Texarkana region, including Mt. Pleasant and Atlanta; by 11:59 p.m. Thursday for Henderson, Marshall, and Longview areas.
- Louisiana: By 10 p.m. Wednesday for areas like Bossier City, Vivian, and Plain Dealing; by 10 p.m. Thursday for Shreveport; and by noon Saturday for Mansfield, Natchitoches, and Hornbeck.
Customer Safety and Repairs
Customers facing damage to their service entrance or weatherhead must secure repairs from a certified electrician before power restoration can proceed. Flooding can detrimentally impact electrical systems, requiring a licensed electrician's inspection before re-establishment of service.
If electric meter boxes, conduits, wires have been submerged, bent, broken, or if water rose above outlets, customers must contact an electrician and avoid touching damaged equipment. The service entrance includes the meter's metal housing, weatherhead pipe, service entrance cables, and related components. Repairs for underground service components also fall under this guideline. Once repairs are complete, customers should contact SWEPCO at 1-888-216-3523 to restore power.
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.
