As of 4 p.m. today, Cleco had restored power to approximately 9,000 of the 44,500 customers who lost power after severe weather moved through its service territory overnight and throughout the day.
The hardest hit areas were Slidell and Eunice which currently have 26,000 and 7,700 customers without power, respectively.
In addition to all Cleco statewide personnel, the company has secured 400 additional line mechanics and vegetation specialists to assist with clearing debris, repairs and power restoration.
“Damage assessment and power restoration efforts are in full gear,” said Clint Robichaux, director of distribution operations and reliability. “Initial assessments show damage to our distribution systems, including broken poles, leaning poles, damaged crossarms and trees on power lines. Another significant challenge has been flooding as some areas we cannot immediately access due to high water.”
Cleco expects to have power restored to all affected areas tonight except for 23,000 customers in the Slidell and Pearl River areas, 3,500 customers in Opelousas, 150 customers in Eunice and 35 customers in Rosepine. The company asks customers with medical needs or small children to make the necessary arrangements for tonight.
“We’ve found over 50 broken poles and downed power lines in Opelousas,” said Robichaux. “While we’re still surveying the damage in Slidell, initial reports indicate over 40 broken poles, damaged crossarms, downed power lines and tress on the ground. Tree damage can play a major role in storm restoration because the debris must be cleared before repairs can be made.”
|
Parish |
Customers without power as of 4:15 p.m. |
|
St. Tammany |
26,686 (26,386 in Slidell) |
|
St. Landry |
6,416 |
|
Evangeline |
1,239 |
|
Grant |
335 |
|
Allen |
226 |
|
Rapides |
186 |
|
Sabine |
105 |
|
Avoyelles |
76 |
|
Acadia |
56 |
|
Red River |
47 |
|
DeSoto |
40 |
|
Vernon |
34 |
|
Washington |
18 |
|
Natchitoches |
12 |
|
Beauregard |
4 |
Safety tips to follow after a storm:
- Report power outages by calling 1-800-622-6537 or online at cleco.com through MyAccount.
- Operate portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas and plug appliances directly into generators with grounded extension cords. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet.
- Assume all downed power lines are live and stay away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 1-800-622-6537 and 911.
For the latest updates, please visit cleco.com/stormcenter.