Insights > Entergy Arkansas Restoration Efforts for April 12 Thunderstorms

Entergy Arkansas Restoration Efforts for April 12 Thunderstorms

04/16/2020

Entergy Arkansas Restoration Efforts for April 12 Thunderstorms

A large line of severe thunderstorms with straight-line winds passed through Arkansas late Sunday evening April 12 causing more than 128,000 customer outages across the state. 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. The estimated restoration times below are for the general areas identified.  Please refer to the outage map for your specific location.

Should you have structural damages and/or damages to your electrical service connection equipment, please ensure all repairs and any required inspections are completed as soon as possible to avoid any further service delays.

 

Southeast Arkansas

Arkansas County Stuttgart Area

Stuttgart Area

As of 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 16, approximately 2,741 customers remain without power, down from a peak of 6,500. Due to the major damage to the electrical system in the northern part of Stuttgart, restoration efforts are expected to be prolonged. Additional resources have been mobilized to assist with the restoration. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Dewitt Area

As of 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 16, approximately 1,574 customers remain without power. Crews will continue working this evening repairing damaged equipment. The Dewitt Hospital was restored to service today.  All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17. 

 

Bradley County

Warren & Hermitage

As of 7:00 p.m. April 16, there are 3,843 customers without power in the Warren and Hermitage service areas. The remaining damage includes 9 broken poles, 33 locations with downed wire, and 22 locations with other damaged equipment. Our work plan for the remainder of the evening is to continue making repairs to the West Pine Street area, along HWY 278 W, and continue tree removal in several areas within the Warren city limits. Approximately 60 additional field workers arrived in the area today and are assisting with restoration efforts. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Cleveland

Rison Area

As of 7:00 p.m. on April 16, there are 670 customers without power in the Rison service area. Damage in the area includes 11 broken utility poles and 38 locations with downed wire. Crews are in the Rison area and are making repairs to damaged equipment. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Kingsland Area

As of 7:00 p.m. on April 16, there are 452 customers without power in the Kingsland service area. Damage in the area includes 7 broken utility poles and 32 locations with downed wire. Entergy is working hard to restore service to all customers who can safely take power by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Dallas County

Fordyce & New Edinburg Area

As of 7:00 p.m. April 16, there are 2,750 customers without power in the Fordyce and New Edinburg service areas. Our storm damage assessment has identified 43 broken poles, 159 spans of downed wire, and 55 additional pieces of damaged equipment. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Drew County

Monticello & Wilmar Area

As of 7:00 p.m. April 16, there are approximately 2,356 customers without power in the Monticello and Wilmar service areas.  Crews are working to make repairs to 53 broken poles, 127 spans of downed wire, and 100 additional pieces of damaged equipment. Approximately 120 workers are assisting with restoration efforts in areas east of Main Street and along the Hwy 425 South corridor. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Jefferson County

Altheimer Area

As of 7:00 p.m. April 16, approximately 644 customers remain without power. Crews are in the area repairing equipment that was damaged due to the storm. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17. 

 

Pine Bluff Area

As of 7:00 p.m., April 16, approximately 8,168 customers remain without power in the Pine Bluff area. Damage assessment with the assistance of helicopter and drone assessments revealed 119 broken poles, 275 spans of wire on the ground, 38 damaged transformers, and 66 damaged pieces of equipment remaining to be repaired in the area. Approximately 200 additional workers arrived in the area today bringing the total to 585 workers in the Pine Bluff, Sheridan, Redfield, & White Hall areas. All customers that can safely take power are expected to be restored by 10:00 p.m. Saturday, April 18.

 

South Arkansas

Calhoun County

Thornton Area

As of 7:00 p.m. April 16, 322 customers remain without power in the Thornton service area. Our damage assessment teams have identified 1 broken pole, 4 spans of downed wire, and 4 equipment damaged locations remaining to be repaired. Entergy is working hard to restore service to the Thornton area as soon as possible. We expect to have all customers who can safely take power to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Ouachita County

Bearden Area

As of 7:00 p.m. April 16, there are approximately 621 customers remaining without power in the Bearden service area. Storm damage assessment teams have identified 10 broken poles, 12 locations with downed wire, and over 30 locations with other damage equipment. We expect to have all customers who can safely take power to be restored by 6:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

Camden Area

As of 7:00 p.m. April 16, power has been restored to approximately 6,500 customers in Camden. Currently, 283 customers remain without power. Damage in the remaining area includes 13 broken poles, 28 spans of downed wire, and 10 other pieces of damaged equipment. Crews are in the Arkansas Ave., Harding Ave., Apple St., Palisade Dr., Forrest View Dr., and Omega St. areas. Special equipment is required to access Harding Ave. 60 additional linemen are allocated between Camden, El Dorado, Chidester, & Smackover. The majority of customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 9:00 p.m. April 16.  Customers with isolated outages are expected to be restored by 10:00 p.m. Friday, April 17. We will continue to update individual restoration times. Please be on the lookout for those updates.

 

Chidester Area

As of 7:00 p.m. today, power has been restored to over 250 customers in the Chidester area. Approximately 136 customers remain without power. Crews are working along Hwy 22 just north of Chidester, Hwy 57 to the southwest of Chidester, & Hwy 24 to the west of Chidester around White Oak Lake. Damage includes 2 broken poles and 4 spans of downed wire. We expect to have all remaining customers who can safely take power restored by 9:00 p.m. April 16.

 

Stephens & Waldo Area

Approximately 460 customers are still without power as of 7:00 p.m. in the Stephens and Waldo areas. We will continue power restoration efforts on Columbia Rd. and throughout Stephens. 35 crew members are committed to restoration efforts in Stephens, and additional off-road equipment has been needed to access many affected areas. Entergy crews are working throughout Waldo with concentrated efforts on Dogwood Rd, Olive Rd, Hwy 371 North, and East McKissack Rd today. Damage remaining includes 2 broken poles, 16 spans of wire down, and several trees and tree limbs down on equipment. We expect most customers who can safely take power to be restored by 9:00 p.m. on April 16. Customers with isolated outages are expected to be restored by 10:00 p.m. Friday, April 17. We will continue to update individual restoration times. Please be on the lookout for those updates.

 

Southwest Arkansas

Clark County

Arkadelphia & Gurdon Area

As of 6:00 p.m. April 16, approximately 340 customers are without power in Arkadelphia and Gurdon. Entergy has 130 workers in the area assisting with restoration efforts on the remaining 9 broken poles and 28 spans of wire on the ground. Today, Entergy crews restored power to Anthony Timberland in Bernie, and Georgia Pacific Mill in Gurdon, Okolona, Whelen Springs, and Antoine. Entergy Crews will also be throughout other areas in and around Whelen Springs, Reader, Bluff City, Prescott, Delight, Curtis, Bismarck, and Sparkman. All customers who can safely take power are expected to receive power by 10:00 p.m. Friday, April 16.

 

Nevada County

Prescott & Bluff City

As of 6:00 p.m. approximately 208 customers remain without power in the Nevada County area, down from initial customer outage of 1,300 customers. Entergy crews will be working on restoration efforts in Bluff City, Prescott and throughout other neighborhoods within the county. Service to all customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 9:00 p.m. Thursday, April 16.

 

Grant County

Sheridan Area

As of 6:00 p.m. April 16, approximately 358 customers are without power in the Sheridan area. Restoration efforts continue for 10 broken poles, 51 spans of wire on the ground, 3 damaged transformer, and 10 damaged pieces of equipment requiring repair. Crews are working in areas on Turkey Creek Rd and Grant County Road 58. All customers that can safely take power are expected to be restored by 9:00 p.m. Thursday, April 16.

 

Hot Spring County

Malvern Area

As of 6:00 p.m. there are 691 customers out of power in the Malvern area, down from initial customer outage of 9,609 customers. Over 85 linemen and support staff are working on restoration efforts in the Malvern area.  Entergy Linemen Completed work on Waco road n Malvern, and are in the Gloster Court, Section Line Road, and Main Street areas. Repairs have also been completed between Poyen and Leolo on Hwy. 229, and power has been restored to West Fraser and Toler Mills at Leolo. Entergy Crews also continue to work in Glen Rose and Gifford areas along Hwy’s 67 and 270. Crews are also working in the Friendship area. Entergy has 40 broken poles, 83 spans of wire on the ground, and 98 damaged equipment locations in area remaining to be repaired. All customers who can safely take power are expected to receive power by 10:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

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 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, approximately 1,480 remain without power. Over 210 broken poles, 196 spans of downed wire, and 97 pieces of damaged equipment remain to be repaired. Approximately 130 workers are engaged to clear fallen trees and restore power in the area. Power has been restored to the police station, city waterworks, the hospital, and other critical services. Power was restored this morning to some locations around Cherry Street and Miller Street. Workers continue to restore power in those neighborhoods.  Restoration efforts continue throughout the city throughout neighborhoods on Liberty Street, Summit Street, and Franklin Street. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 11:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17.

 

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 6:00 p.m. Thursday, April 16, approximately 493 remain without power. Over 95 broken poles remain to be repaired. Approximately 95 workers are engaged to clear fallen trees and restore power in the area.  Power was restored this morning to some locations along Highway 20 west of Elaine, and workers continue with remaining repairs in the area.  Continued restoration work for the evening includes areas along Phillips County Road, 507 south of Elaine, replacing 55 poles along Highway 44 through Mellwood and into the Lundell community. All customers who can safely take power are expected to be restored by 11:00 p.m. Friday, April 17.

 

 

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 cellphone, 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.

 


David Lewis
Senior Communications Specialist