Entergy Arkansas restored power to more than 99% of its 735,000 customers within 24 hours of a winter storm that brought snow, sleet and freezing rain to the state, the utility company reported Wednesday.
The company attributed the minimal outages to extensive advance preparation and system-hardening efforts. With power remaining stable across Arkansas, Entergy Arkansas is now sending approximately 200 lineworkers and support management personnel to assist with restoration efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Ahead of the storm, crews trimmed approximately 1,400 trees near power lines in the days leading up to the weather event to prevent limbs and debris from falling and causing damage during icy conditions.
“Winter weather in Arkansas can be unpredictable, especially when ice is involved,” said Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas. “Our crews were prepared for this storm and as we focus on providing better power as part of our Next Generation Arkansas initiative in the coming years, we are committed to continuing to make investments that withstand extreme weather.”
The utility company had more than 3,500 workers and specialized equipment staged across the state and ready to respond. Crews also inspected substations, transmission lines and other critical infrastructure, insulated power plant equipment and piping where needed, and used real-time data from advanced metering infrastructure to monitor power loads.
Entergy Arkansas also worked with local officials to identify and support warming centers in impacted areas.
Customers seeking assistance with winter energy bills can access resources at the company’s online Bill Toolkit or manage accounts at myEntergy. For winter preparedness tips and updates, visit entergy.com/stormcenter.
