CURRENT SITUATION
Winter Storm Fern continues to bring historic, system-wide ice impacts across our service territory. As of 6:00 p.m., approximately 19,046 customers are without power, with this event peaking at 25,307 customers out earlier this afternoon.
Crews have already restored service to more than 3,300 customers, and actual restoration progress is higher when including ongoing step restoration.
Despite the treacherous roadways and dangerous temperatures, SWEPCO crews have been able to fully or partially restore ongoing system impacts and will continue.
Due to the significant icing event, trees and limbs, sometimes entire trees, have fallen from outside our rights-of-way into lines and equipment.
Even in this deep freeze from Winter Storm Fern, SWEPCO’s power plants are helping keep electricity flowing. While ice is creating challenges on the distribution system and causing some outages, our crews are working safely and steadily to restore service as conditions allow.
The storm system has moved methodically across SWEPCO throughout the day, bringing freezing rain to much of the Ark-La-Tex and snow in Fayetteville in our Northwest Arkansas region. Radar shows SWEPCO in a brief lull between the first and second waves, giving crews another critical window to make meaningful restoration gains.
A key priority is strong overnight monitoring and early-morning assessments across our service territory, should the additional wave bring new damage.
Throughout the challenging conditions, our mission remains the same: restore every single customer, no matter what Winter Storm Fern brings our way. We are working shoulder to shoulder with our communities, navigating this historic weather event together, and will continue making progress as conditions allow.
MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN ACTION
Support from more than 14 states have shown up for our communities. We’ve mobilized approximately 5,600 utility professionals to aid our response to customers.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Stay Off the Roads: Please avoid unnecessary travel. Clear roads help first responders and our crews access work sites safely and restore power faster.
- Stay Safe: Avoid downed power lines and treat all wires as energized and potentially dangerous. Report downed lines and other safety hazards at SWEPCO.com or by calling 888-218-3919.
- Stay Informed: For the latest outage updates and safety tips, visit SWEPCO.com or use the SWEPCO mobile app.
- Report Outages: Download the SWEPCO app to quickly and easily report outages or report outages at SWEPCO.com.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work tirelessly to restore power. Our crews and those who have traveled hundreds of miles to help are committed to bringing the lights back on for every customer as quickly and safely as possible.
CUSTOMER PREPAREDNESS
SWEPCO is ready and we want our customers to be ready, too. Customers are urged to prepare now for winter weather and possible power outages:
- Treat all downed power lines as energized and dangerous. Stay at least 10 feet away and keep children and pets indoors.
- If using a generator, follow all manufacturer instructions. Never use generators, grills, or camp stoves indoors.
- Customers with medical equipment who rely on electricity should have a backup plan in place in case of prolonged outages.
- Keep extra blankets, warm clothing, and flashlights readily available.
- Charge phones and essential devices ahead of the storm.
- Stay informed by following SWEPCO on social media and visiting SWEPCO.com for alerts and updates.
GET RESTORATION UPDATES
Customers should log in to their SWEPCO account to make sure we have an up-to-date cell number and email. Accurate contact information helps us reach you quickly if conditions change. We also encourage customers to sign up for outage alerts and SWEPCO email updates for real-time restoration information. When crews arrive on site, they enter a more precise restoration time, and enrolled customers receive those updates automatically.
Update your information or subscribe to alerts at SWEPCO.com/Alerts. You can also check outage status anytime at SWEPCO.com/OutageMap.
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.