Company offers restoration updates

PINEVILLE, La. – Oct. 11, 2020 (11 a.m. update) – As of 11 a.m. today, Cleco had restored power to 64,969, or 49 percent, of the more than 132,000 customers who lost power due to Hurricane Delta which impacted Cleco’s entire service area.

“We have restored power to almost half of our customers since Delta moved across our service area Friday night into Saturday morning,” said James Lass, director of distribution operations and emergency management.  “The damage to our system is widespread because the storm made landfall in southwest Louisiana and traveled north.  The high winds and heavy rainfall knocked down trees, utility poles and power lines and caused significant flooding.”

Thus far on Cleco’s electrical system, damage assessors and crews have found 122 downed or broken poles, 357 downed or broken crossarms, 22 miles of power lines down, 243 trees on power lines and 42 damaged transformers.

“Cleco and contractor crews are working to pick up downed lines, reset poles, hang new transformers and remove fallen trees,” said Lass.  “In addition to Cleco employees working in various capacities, more than 2,500 line mechanics, tree trimmers, transmission resources and damage assessors were brought in to assist in the restoration efforts from as far away as Puerto Rico, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.”

Restoration Assessment
Below are estimated times for restoration (ETR) for towns and cities in some of Cleco’s parishes.  More ETRs will be shared, as they become available.  Please note that unexpected damage or inclement weather could impact restoration efforts and timelines. 

Rapides Parish

• Pineville/Hwy. 107 (Smithville up to Williams Lake Rd.) – 80% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Deville/Holloway/Buckeye areas – 95% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Kolin/Ruby areas – 75% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Flatwoods/Mora/Lena areas – 95% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Gardner/Hotwells/Lena areas – 95% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Ball/Paradise/Kingsville/Esler Field areas – 90% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Hineston/Seiper/Otis areas - 75% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Alexandria/Bayou Rapides Rd. area – 90% of customers will be restored today, Oct. 11.
• Alexandria – Twin Bridges Rd., Bonnette Bend and Bayou Oaks subdivision – ETR is today, Oct. 11.

Grant Parish

• Power restored to some customers on yesterday, Saturday, Oct. 10.
• Lynn Lake Rd. ETR is tomorrow, Oct. 12.
• Hwy. 8 north of Dennis Slaughter Rd. ETR is Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Below are customer outages by parish as of 11 a.m.

Percentages are based on total customers affected by Hurricane Delta (132,198); not Cleco’s total customer base.

Percentages are based on total customers affected by Hurrica