Search
Insights > Entergy Arkansas crews stand ready as cold, snow, sleet settle across the state
Entergy Arkansas crews stand ready as cold, snow, sleet settle across the state
01/14/2024
Arctic air with snow and sleet made its way into the state Sunday, and currently there are approximately 2,400 Entergy Arkansas customers without power. We are mindful of the impact extreme cold temperatures have on our customers and will continue to provide the highest service in the coming days.
Crews stand ready and equipped to respond to outages across our service territory, however restoration during extreme cold can take longer due to increased demands on equipment, people, and resources. In the event of an outage, we provide estimated restoration times as we complete damage assessment. Restoring your power as quickly and safely as possible is our top priority, and we appreciate your patience.
Forecasts call for more precipitation across our service territory and is expected to continue through Monday afternoon. Extra weight on power lines caused by snow or ice can cause them to fall or stretch, possibly causing power interruptions. While Entergy Arkansas manages growth of trees and bushes near electrical equipment, one half-inch of ice can increase the weight of a tree limb as much as 30 times, causing even smaller limbs to bend or snap, falling onto power lines and causing an outage.
Be sure to report any outages to Entergy. Please be aware the restoration process can be hampered by the surge of instantaneous electrical demand from appliances (heating units, water heaters, etc.) commonly known as cold load when service is restored to your location, potentially overloading protective devices on Entergy’s electrical system. To help mitigate this problem, Entergy encourages you to turn off or disconnect any electrical heaters or electrical appliances that can easily be turned off until power is restored, and gradually power them on once power has been restored to your location.
As a reminder, all customer disconnections have been suspended through Monday, Jan. 22. For those who need shelter, please see the map provided by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management of warming centers across the state.
Winter weather restoration process
As the winter storm impacts Arkansas, we will deploy scouts to assess damage in all affected areas. It is on these assessments that we base our estimated restoration times. We will communicate these estimates with you, updating as new information becomes available. Our crews will simultaneously be restoring service where it is deemed safe to do so. We ask for your patience, and please know restoring your power safely and quickly is our top priority.
Extra weight on power lines caused by snow or ice can cause them to fall or stretch, possibly causing power interruptions. While Entergy Arkansas manages growth of trees and bushes near electrical equipment, one half-inch of ice can increase the weight of a tree limb as much as 30 times, causing even smaller limbs to bend or snap, falling onto power lines and causing an outage.
Please be aware the restoration process can be hampered by the surge of instantaneous electrical demand from appliances (heating units, water heaters, etc.) when service is restored to your location, potentially overloading protective devices on Entergy’s electrical system. To help mitigate this problem, Entergy encourages you to turn off any electrical heaters or electrical appliances that can easily be turned off until power is restored.
Stay safe
As with any weather event, please be mindful of the following safety tips:
- Live wires can be deadly. Stay away from downed power lines. Call 1-800-9OUTAGE or 1-800-968-8243 to report downed or dangling power lines, damaged or downed poles or other damaged equipment.
- Do not trim trees or remove debris on or near downed power lines. Only power company crews or their contractors should remove trees or limbs touching power lines. Again, stay away from downed power lines.
- Keep away from the immediate areas where crews are working. There is always the danger of moving equipment and the possibility of construction materials, limbs or overhead wires falling to the ground.
- If you plan on using a generator for temporary power, get a licensed electrician and disconnect from the utility electric system before hooking up to your main electric panel.
- Do not run a generator in a confined space without adequate ventilation. Use them only outdoors, following all manufacturers’ safety guidelines.
- Turn off any electrical appliances that can easily be turned to the off position until power is restored.
- Check on seniors, who can be particularly susceptible to extreme temperatures.
- Try to stay off the roads in affected areas. More traffic in bad weather leads to more accidents, including more injuries and fatalities as well as accidents that can damage electrical poles and other equipment, creating outages and impeding the ability of crews to access and repair damage and slowing restoration.
Stay informed
We want to keep you informed and in control. The best way to get information about outages is via Entergy’s View Outage page on our website. Additional resources for your convenience:
- Download our app for your smartphone at entergy.com/app or visit Entergy Storm Center to stay informed on our restoration progress.
- Sign up for text alerts. From your cell phone, text REG to 368374, or visit entergytext.com.
- Follow @EntergyARK on Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.
- Follow updates in your local news media, like radio, television, and newspapers.
Thank you for being a valued Entergy Arkansas customer. Stay warm and connected as we navigate this winter weather together.
