Insights > Entergy Arkansas storm update – 5/9/24, 6 p.m.

Entergy Arkansas storm update – 5/9/24, 6 p.m.
By: Arkansas Editorial Team

05/09/2024

Since the night of May 8, through the evening of May 9, Entergy Arkansas has restored approximately 43,000 customer outages resulting from multiple storm fronts that moved through the state. Currently there are approximately 1,430 remaining customer outages.

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF2 tornado touched down in Hot Springs causing significant damage around the Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine areas. That same storm cell then moved across Southwest Little Rock in the Baseline network.

As crews worked diligently to safely restore power from the first storm event, a second storm event occurred in Northeast Arkansas’ Walnut Ridge area.

Currently, Entergy crews are still working in Hot Springs near the Peninsula, Shady Hills, Lakeland, and Carpenter Dam areas to restore power to the remaining 604 outages. Access issues in these areas are causing extended restoration times due to the large amounts of vegetative debris. We expect to restore all customers that can safely take power by 10 p.m. Friday, May 10.

Entergy crews also continue restoration efforts for the remaining 81 customers impacted by Wednesday evening’s storm in Northeast Arkansas. We expect to restore all customers that can safely take power by 10 p.m. this evening.

We understand how power outages impact your life and appreciate your patience as crews continue to work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power.

Consistent with our commitment to powering life for our customers every day, our crews are rebuilding the system with thicker, stronger poles. In some cases, concrete poles are being used to improve system infrastructure and make it more resilient.

If your home is damaged and will not be able to take electric service for some time, or you are in the process of making needed repairs to your electrical equipment, please contact 1-800-ENTERGY. Our customer service team wants to assist with getting your service restored as soon as you're ready. For more information, please visit entergy.com/damage

Entergy Shoreline has started receiving calls following Tuesday night’s tornado. Lake residents, if you need any information regarding your existing facility, or what repairs need to be permitted, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at lakepermits@entergy.com

For those planning on getting out on the water this weekend, please stay aware of any debris that may be floating or partially submerged just below the surface. With most of the damage occurring on the lower end of Lake Hamilton and near the main channel, currents created from wind and the dams may pull some debris further out into the channel.

While crews work to restore power, Entergy Arkansas urges customers to keep safety first. Here are some tips to keep you safe while we restore your power.

  • 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.

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:

Follow updates in your local news media, like radio, television, and newspapers.

Tags
Arkansas  Storm Center  AR community  AR customer service  Safety  Spring Weather  Storm Damage 
Arkansas Editorial Team
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