Tuesday’s winter storm dumped several inches of snow in areas and damaged equipment, including this power pole near Mountain View. The storm also hampered access for Entergy Arkansas crews. (Image: Entergy Arkansas)
A large number of utility personnel and contractors are still working to restore electricity to customers across the north and northwest portions of the state after the winter weather on Tuesday.
North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NAEC) said its crews are working to restore electricity to more than 28,000 members. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, service has been restored to more than 3,000 members.
Most outages are due to downed lines. Snow accumulating on the lines as well as trees and limbs falling into lines caused the bulk of damage. Damage assessments continue in some areas.
Outages will extend at least into the weekend for some members. NAEC is restoring service to the greatest number of members in the shortest time possible, the utility said.
Outages affecting individual or small numbers of members will be tackled after service to substations and main lines resumes, according to NAEC.
Twenty-three additional crews are assisting NAEC’s outage restoration efforts. They are from Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc., Ouachita Electric Cooperative and Woodruff Electric Cooperative as well as contractors from Mississippi and Tennessee.
To ensure their safety, NAEC asks members to stay clear of any downed lines as they could be energized and pose an electrocution risk. If using a generator, members need to follow the manufacturer’s operating instructions. This includes not using a generator indoors or in attached structures, such as garages, as it could pose a carbon monoxide risk.
NAEC has four ways for members to report an outage:
- NAEC mobile app;
- Outage Viewer at naeci.com;
- The NAEC main line at (870) 895-3221;
- And the automated system of (844) 335-4461.
NAEC cannot provide members estimated restoration times for individual outages at this time, but updates, as available, are posted to NAEC’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NorthARElectric.
Meanwhile, Entergy Arkansas said the weather caused an estimated 36,000 customer outages at its peak Wednesday morning. While crews readied equipment and are currently working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible, the utility said road conditions and terrain, especially in rural areas, are affecting their ability to reach damaged equipment and remove downed limbs.
Entergy Arkansas is encouraging people to stay off the roads so that emergency responders can safely assist those in need, including those who are without power.
The number of customer interruptions was down to 21,486 by early Wednesday evening, and the company anticipates nearly 90% of customers will be restored by 10 p.m. Thursday. Some customers in the hardest-hit areas may not have power until 10 p.m. Friday.
A workforce of more than 1,200 is activated for assessment and restoration, including some out-of-state resources. As scouts are able to assess specific damages, estimated restoration times will be communicated.
Entergy Arkansas says due to the large amount of snow, there could be extended outages. Customers are encouraged to enroll for outage alerts via the Entergy app.
For additional inclement weather tips and storm updates, visit entergy.com/stormcenter.
To keep up with driving conditions in the state during this winter weather, visit iDriveArkansas.com.
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