Insights > Entergy Arkansas Restoration Efforts for April 12 Thunderstorms April 14, 9 a.m.

Entergy Arkansas Restoration Efforts for April 12 Thunderstorms April 14, 9 a.m.

By: David Lewis • Senior Communications Specialist

04/14/2020

Workers tackle a line of broken poles in Pine Bluff Monday.

A large line of severe thunderstorms with straight-line winds and tornados passed through Arkansas late Sunday evening April 12 causing more than 128,000 customer outages across the state. There are currently 41 distribution substations and 37 transmission lines out of service. The heaviest area of impact is south of Interstate I-40. Additional resources have been mobilized to assist with the restoration. Restoration may be slower than normal due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements. Repairs are underway, even as damage is being assessed.  Estimated restoration times and area-specific details will be communicated when available as damage assessment continues.

Southeast Arkansas

Arkansas County

Stuttgart Area

The storm caused more than 6,500 customers without power in the Stuttgart area. As of 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, 95% of the customers in the area are affected.  Damage assessment will continue this morning and repairs are underway.  Restoration times will be given as soon as possible.

Dewitt Area

The storm caused more than 1,600 customers without power in the Dewitt area impacting 100%  of customers. As of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14, approximately 1,575 customers in the area remain without power.  Damage assessment will continue this morning and repairs are underway. Restoration times will be given as soon as possible.

Bradley County

Warren and Hermitage

As of 8:00 a.m. on April 14, there are 4,182 customers without power in the Warren and Hermitage service areas. Storm damage assessment teams will continue their work today. Estimated restoration times are not currently available due to the extensive damage. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

Chicot County

Lake Village Area

As of 8:00 a.m. April 14, 2020, approximately 519 customers are without power in the Lake Village service area. A safe work plan is under way to restore power to the Lake Village substation in the Chicot County service territory as a result of downed power lines and 10 broken poles. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

Dermott Area

As of 8:00 a.m. April 14, 2020, approximately 542 customers are without power in the Dermott service area as a result of downed transmission structures and 26 broken poles. A safe work plan is being worked to restore power to the area in the Chicot County service territory. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

Cleveland

Rison

As of 8:00 a.m. on April 14, there are 1,342 customers without power in the Rison service area. Storm Damage Assessment teams will continue their work today and repairs are underway. Estimated restoration times are not currently available due to the extensive damage. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

Dallas County

Fordyce and New Edinburg Areas

As of 8:00 a.m. on April 14, there are 2,876 customers without power in the Fordyce/Kingsland/New Edinburg service areas. Storm damage assessment will continue in this area today and repairs are underway. Estimated restoration times are not currently available due to the extensive damage. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

Desha County

Arkansas City Area

As of 8:00 a.m. April 14, 2020, approximately 319 customers are without power in the Arkansas City service area as a result of downed transmission structures. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

Dumas Area

As of 8:00 a.m. April 14, 2020, approximately 945 customers are without power in the Dumas service area as a result of downed transmission structures and 25 broken poles. We were able to restore 809 customers and the Delta Memorial Hospital Monday evening. Crews will continue work in Dumas as well as Gould, Pickens and Winchester areas early this morning to provide more coverage. Many areas will require off road equipment to complete repairs. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

McGehee Area

As of 8:00 a.m. April 14, 2020, approximately 296 customers are without power in the Arkansas City service area as a result of downed transmission structures. We were able to restore 1,065 customers Monday evening allowing our crews to focus on other areas in McGehee. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. We will update you with estimated restoration times as soon as possible.

Drew County

Monticello & Wilmar Area

As of 8:00 a.m. on April 14, there are approximately 5,674 customers without power in the Monticello and Wilmar service areas. Damage assessment and repairs are underway. Your area’s damage includes: 26 broken poles, 47 spans of downed wire and over 30 additional pieces of damaged equipment. As of Tuesday April 14, crews will continue work to restore heavily damaged facilities in the North Gabbert Street area of Monticello as well areas near Cherry St and HWY 425 North. Estimated restoration times will be made available as crews execute their safe restoration plans today.

Jefferson County

Pine Bluff Area

As of 8:00 a.m. April 14, there are approximately 19,455 customers without power in the Pine Bluff area. Damage assessment and restoration continues. Damage includes: 49 broken poles, 90 spans of downed wire, 17 damaged transformers and 50 damaged pieces of equipment so far.

South Arkansas

Columbia County

Magnolia Area

There are approximately 185 customers without power as of 8:00 a.m. April 14. Damage assessment of the area is almost complete and repairs are underway. Damage includes: 5 broken poles, 6 spans of downed wire and dozens of trees on our equipment. Nine additional electrical line crews arrived today to assist with more concentrated damage around Hwy 82.

Stamps Area

There are approximately 76 customers without power as of 8:00 a.m. April 14. Damage assessment is almost complete and repairs are underway. Damage includes one span of downed wire and trees on equipment. We are still assessing damage on remaining outages and expect assessments in the area to be complete by 5:00 p.m. April 14, 2020.

Ouachita County

Camden Area

There are approximately 6,869 customers without power in the Camden area. Damage assessment is underway and repairs are being made. Damage includes severe damage to our transmission structures, 21 cases of equipment damage, 4 broken poles and 9 spans of downed wire. Our focus in Camden will be to make as many repairs to our distribution lines as possible so your power will be easily restored when the transmission line structures are repaired.

Chidester Area

Approximately 354 customers are without power in the Chidester area. Damage assessment is underway with severe damage to three structures identified so far. Repairs are being made as damage is assessed.

Stephens Area

Approximately 2,818 customers are without power in the Stephens area. Damage assessment has revealed 15 broken poles, 28 spans of downed wire and six felled trees. Work will be focused on the Hwy 79 area today, April 14, 2020. Two substations that deliver power to the area are still without power due to transmission power line structure damages.

Union County

El Dorado Area

As of 8:00 a.m. 2,000 customers in the El Dorado area have had their power restored. Approximately 9,500 customers remain without power. As of 8:00 a.m. today, we have 12 poles damaged, 40 spans of primary wiring damaged and three transformers needing replacement. We also have tree clearing crews working on the dozens of felled trees in the area today.  Service has been restored to all public health and safety facilities including hospitals, law enforcement and water pumping stations.  We are continuing to work on repairs in the El Dorado, Strong, and Smackover areas.

Norphlet & Smackover Area

Approximately 300 customers were restored in the Norphlet and Smackover area yesterday. Approximately 1,500 customers remain without power. Damage assessment and restoration efforts will continue today.

Southwest Arkansas

Clark County

Arkadelphia & Gurdon Area

There are approximately 3,202 customers without power in the Arkadelphia area and 4,108 in the Gurdon Area. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. We expect to complete a full damage assessment by Tuesday evening, April 14. Entergy workers are in your area working to restore 8 broken poles, 28 spans of downed wire, 6 additional equipment failures and to clear over 100 trees from equipment.

Garland County / Montgomery County

Hot Springs Area

Damage assessment and repairs are underway. Crews continue to focus on repairs with the potential to impact the largest number of customers.  Crews will be working south Hot Springs in the Valley View, Whispering Hills, Lakeside Road, James Street and Quail Creek area; out Airport Road to the Pearcy area; and the Thornton Ferry Road areas. 

As of 8:00 a.m., 2,640 customers remain without power in the Garland and Montgomery County areas down form just over 6,600.

Grant County

Approximately 3,843 customers are without power in the Grant county area. Repairs are underway and damage assessment efforts will provide more details this afternoon.

Hot Spring County

Malvern Area

There are approximately 8,439 customers without power in the Malvern area. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. We expect to complete a full damage assessment by Tuesday evening, April 14. Entergy workers are in your area working to restore 45 broken poles, 130 spans of downed wire, 6 additional equipment failures and to clear over 100 felled trees from our equipment.

Pike County

Approximately 629 customers are without power in the Pike county area. Repairs are underway, and damage assessment efforts will provide more details this afternoon.

East Arkansas

Phillips County

Helena & West Helena Area

The thunderstorms caused more than 4,800 customer outages in the Helena area, leaving approximately 80% of the Entergy customers in the area without power.  As of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14, approximately 3,925 customers in the area remain without power.  Damage assessment is underway and restoration work will need to be performed on nearly every street in Helena.  Over 50 broken poles have been identified. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. Our work plan for Tuesday includes restoring power to the hospital, critical services, and customers on Westwood Place, Nodaway Place, Airport Road, Hickory Hills Drive, Waverlywood Drive, and Valley Drive.

Lake View, Oneida, Wabash, Elaine, Mellwood, & Crumrod Areas

The thunderstorms caused more than 1,800 customer outages in southern Phillips county, leaving approximately 70% of the Entergy customers in the area without power. As of 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, approximately 1,105 customers in the area remain without power. Damage assessment is underway and over 40 broken poles have been identified. Repairs are underway as damage is being assessed. Our work plan for Tuesday includes areas along Highway 44 in Wabash and along Highway 20 west of Elaine.

Northwest Arkansas

Conway County

Morrilton Area

As of 8:00 a.m. April 14, there are approximately 1,049 customers without power in the Morrilton area. Damage assessment is complete and includes 13 broken poles, 30 spans of wire on the ground, 4 damaged transformers and 4 damaged pieces of equipment remaining. Crews are continuing to restore power in the area and all customers should have electric service restored by 10:00 p.m. April 14.

As with any weather event, please be mindful of the following safety tips:

1. 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, poles or other damaged equipment.
2. 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.
3. Keep away from the immediate areas where crews are working. There is always the danger of moving equipment and the possibility of construction materials or limbs or overhead wires falling to the ground.
4. 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. 
5. Do not run a generator in a confined space without adequate ventilation.
6. Turn off any electrical appliances that can easily be turned to the off position until power is restored.

We want to keep you informed and in control. The best way to get information about outages is via Entergy’s View Outage application on www.entergy.com:

1. Download our app for your smartphone at entergy.com/app or visit entergystormcenter.com to stay informed on our restoration progress.
2. Sign up for text alerts. From your cell phone, text R E G to 368374, or visit entergytext.com.
3. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter @ EntergyARK.
4. Follow updates in your local news media, like radio, television and newspapers.

We at Entergy realize you have been greatly impacted during this difficult time.

Tags

Arkansas  Storm Center  4-12-20 Storms  Coronavirus 

David Lewis

Senior Communications Specialist