Powering Through Winter Storm Cora
With the sun finally shining after the icy grip of Winter Storm Cora, a significant update on the restoration efforts has emerged, along with a heartfelt message of gratitude to the community.
Winter Storm Cora delivered a range of weather across the region, from picturesque snow in parts of Northwest Arkansas and the Texas Panhandle to severe ice and sleet in the ArkLaTex. In Texarkana and surrounding areas, ice accumulations reached up to 0.25 inches, combining with snow and sleet in places like De Queen, Nashville, and Mena.
The weight of the ice created immense challenges, with tree branches becoming up to 30 times heavier than normal. To put it in perspective, just half an inch of ice adds the equivalent weight of a 500-pound grizzly bear to power lines.
Despite the storm's intensity, SWEPCO’s grid and team remained resilient, committed to restoring power to the 36,637 customers impacted by the storm. Within the first 24 hours, approximately 67% of outages were resolved. The efforts involved clearing nearly 1,000 downed trees and limbs and replacing around 185 spans of power lines.
The workforce grew to nearly 1,000 utility and forestry personnel, including local teams and support from sister utilities such as AEP Texas and Public Service Company of Oklahoma. Additional assistance came from tree crews traveling from across the country, including the Carolinas. Together, they restrung 27,750 feet of power lines and worked tirelessly to restore power to every home capable of receiving it within 48 hours.
The SWEPCO team attributes the success of these efforts to the community’s patience and support during the restoration process.
Now, with the restoration complete, SWEPCO reaffirms its commitment to readiness for future challenges, highlighting the resilience and strength of the community it serves. The gratitude expressed for the customers' understanding and support underscores the importance of partnership in overcoming adversity.
Together, the community and SWEPCO have proven their strength, showing that even the toughest storms can be weathered through determination and cooperation.
