As a result of early morning storms on Friday that brought straight line and hurricane force winds to much of SWEPCO’s east Texas and northwest Louisiana service territories, SWEPCO has activated an all-in response to restore electric service to all impacted customers.
To help restore service to our communities as quickly and as safely as possible, we have requested mutual assistance from neighboring utility companies. Approximately 2,800 utility professionals are scheduled to arrive in the SWEPCO service territory beginning Friday evening to help restore power.
Due to excessive damage to our electrical facilities, SWEPCO customers should prepare for prolonged power outages and in some cases additional outages as we repair damage to our system. We will know more once damage assessment is completed. Customers should prepare to be without service for an extended period.
Currently, more than 233,898 customers remain without power following the severe weather. Following initial damage assessments today, restoration estimates for areas impacted by the storm are below but could be resolved sooner. Restoration times will be updated as crews continue working to restore power.
- Natchitoches service territory in Louisiana – 10 p.m., Tuesday, June 20
- Texarkana service territory in Texas – 10 p.m., Wednesday, June 21
- Longview service territory in Texas – 10 p.m., Friday, June 23
- Shreveport service territory and surrounding communities in Louisiana – 10 p.m., Saturday, June 24
As we get more specific information for your area, updates will be forthcoming.
If you have lost power, please turn off your air conditioner and large appliances to enable smoother service restoration. Once power is restored, switch the devices back on gradually over the following 30 to 45 minutes. Taking this step helps prevent a sudden surge in demand after power is restored, which could cause a second outage.
Service restoration could be delayed due to continued electric system issues and weather conditions.
With high heat and humidity forecast through this weekend and into next week, please heed these extreme heat safety reminders:
- Drink lots of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
- Dress in loose, light clothing
- Open a window if the evening breeze is cool
- Get a cool, wet towel on your neck or forehead to help keep your body cool.
- Close drapes and blinds to keep heat from the sun out
As always, your safety and the safety of our crews remains paramount. Stay away and keep children and pets at least ten feet away from downed lines. Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized and dangerous.
You can report hazards to SWEPCO at 888-218-3919 or online at https://www.swepco.com/outages/report/
Thank you!