CURRENT SITUATION
Winter Storm Fern continues to impact our region, and as of this morning, about 63,000 SWEPCO customers are without power. The second wave of freezing rain has caused new outages as tree limbs and ice continue to fall across parts of our service territory. In most areas, precipitation is now tapering off, which will allow our crews to safely accelerate restoration work. Early reports show the hardest hit areas were in the Louisiana and Texas areas of our service territory.
Our transmission infrastructure, the backbone of our energy delivery system, is holding strong, and power plants continue to operate as expected and much of the damage we’re seeing on the distribution system is tied to trees giving way under the weight of ice and falling from outside our right of ways into our equipment and is repairable. Crews have already restored more than 100 major breakers since the storm began, and early daylight assessments will give us a clearer picture of damage from the overnight conditions.
Wind gusts, icy terrain, bitterly cold temperatures and treacherous roadways will continue to challenge our crews. No matter the weather, we’re united in our mission to restore every customer impacted by Winter Storm Fern.
Crews are in the field today and we’ve grown our resource support significantly as additional crews from across the region arrive. Our teams are conducting early morning patrols, checking on critical facilities, and adjusting staging plans to respond where damage is greatest.
We know being without power in winter weather is difficult. Please know that SWEPCO has a strong, coordinated plan in place. 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.
We appreciate your patience and will continue to share updates as the situation evolves. Stay safe and stay connected with us for the latest information.
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.
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.
Update your information or subscribe to alerts at SWEPCO.com/Alerts. You can also check outage status anytime at SWEPCO.com/OutageMap.
Restoration Process
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.