Getting customers back on is SWEPCO’s top priority as restoration efforts continue following two days of severe weather. Crews have made significant progress and expect to restore power to 95 percent of customers who can safely receive service by 5 p.m. today.
At the peak of the July 6 storm, approximately 37,000 customers were without power across the region. Through the around-the-clock efforts of lineworkers, contractors and support personnel, that number has been reduced to about 2,000 customers, with thousands of repairs completed across the system.
The work continued through challenging conditions on Tuesday, as additional storms, lightning, heavy rain and flash flooding moved across the area. Supported by mutual assistance crews, contractor partners and fellow AEP utilities, every available resource remains focused on repairing damage, rebuilding infrastructure and restoring service safely and as quickly as possible.
For the customers still waiting, crews will continue working until every home and business that can safely receive power is restored.
STORM IMPACT
Initial damage assessments indicate the July 6 storm caused widespread damage across the region, with powerful winds bringing down trees, damaging poles and electrical equipment, and creating outages in multiple communities at once. The storm event’s broad impact made for a complex restoration effort. SWEPCO quickly mobilized additional lineworkers, damage assessors and support personnel, and crews for simultaneously repairing major infrastructure, restoring neighborhood outages, and supporting critical facilities such as water and wastewater systems as restoration efforts continue.
RESTORATION UPDATES
Estimated Times of Restoration (ETRs)
ETRs have been established for 95 percent of customers who can receive power. These times could change as work progresses.
- Natchitoches – Noon, July 8
- Shreveport | Bossier | Haughton | Vivian | Plain Dealing – 5 p.m., July 8
Can Your Home Receive Power? Now Is the Time to Check.
As crews continue making repairs and restoring outages across the region, customers who are still without power should inspect their weatherhead and other customer-owned electrical equipment for storm damage. Look for a bent weatherhead, a service mast pulled away from the home, loose or damaged wires or damage to the meter base. If you see any of these issues, contact a licensed electrician now so repairs can be made as quickly as possible. Once repairs are complete, notify SWEPCO so service can be safely restored. Click for a flyer in English & Spanish. Learn how to identify weatherhead damage by watching this video. ENGLISH | SPANISH
POST-STORM SAFETY TIPS
- Stay as far away as possible from downed wires and anything they may be touching. Call 911 to report any hazards or call SWEPCO immediately at (888) 218-3919.
- Carefully investigate before cleaning up any debris. Tree limbs, leaves and other objects moved by the wind could hide downed wires.
- Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or debris within 10 feet of a power line.
- If using a generator, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
SUPPORT PARTNERS PROVIDING RESTORATION ASSISTANCE
We’re incredibly grateful to the hundreds of lineworkers, contractors and support personnel who answered the call and traveled from near and far to help restore power to our communities. A special thank you to our AEP family members from AEP Texas, Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), and SWEPCO teams from Texarkana, Longview and Fayetteville Districts, as well as contractors from LineTec Services, APEX, DHE, Primoris, Shelton, Mettle, AMP, Axis, Chain, Northstar, 3S and Tempest.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Should I call SWEPCO to report my power outage?
During major outages, we receive a lot of phone calls, and often all of our representatives are busy. You can report an outage through the SWEPCO mobile app or by using our online form
Want to be the first to know about outages? Subscribe to alerts.
What should customers do if they see downed lines?
Don’t touch it or anything near it. Even telephone or cable lines can become energized. Keep yourself and others as far away as possible and call 911 or SWEPCO immediately at (888) 218-3919.
How does SWEPCO handle tree damage?
Our tree crews are among the first responders as they work to safely clear trees from our lines and equipment and move to the next location as quickly as possible to allow our line crews to restore power.
We do not remove cut trees or limbs during emergency power restoration. In these instances, property owners are responsible for removing tree debris.
Don’t attempt to remove tree limbs or debris yourself if it is within 10 feet of a power line. Also, if you notice downed lines or sparking equipment, stay far away and call 911 and SWEPCO immediately at (888) 218-3919.
STAYING CONNECTED
To receive the latest alerts and information from SWEPCO, customers should:
- Report outages: SWEPCO.com/outage
- Download the SWEPCO mobile app: SWEPCO.com/app
- Follow SWEPCO on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram and YouTube
- Make sure we have your most recent contact information at swepco.com/account/
NEXT UPDATE
We will continue to keep you informed as more information becomes available. Updates will be provided at SWEPCO.com as well as other communication channels.