PINEVILLE, La. – Jan. 11, 2022 – Today, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) presented Cleco Power with the Emergency Response Award for its power restoration efforts after Winter Storms Uri and Viola.  Both storms impacted the company’s service area in February 2021.

The Emergency Response Award is given to select EEI member companies in recognition of their recovery and assistance efforts following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events.  The winners were chosen by a panel of judges following an international nomination process, and the awards were presented during EEI’s virtual winter board of directors meeting.

“These back-to-back storms brought snow, ice and freezing temperatures to nearly all of our service territory,” said Shane Hilton, president of Cleco Power.  “While the restoration was challenging, we thank our customers for their patience and our employees and contractors for their assistance.”

“In 2021, there were several significant storms and other extreme weather-related events that impacted many customers and communities across the nation,” said EEI President Tom Kuhn. “Cleco Power and its employees worked around the clock following these winter storms to ensure power was restored safely and as quickly as possible.  I applaud Cleco Power and its employees for their unwavering dedication to the customers and to the communities they so proudly serve, and I am honored to present them with this well-deserved award.”

EEI has recognized Cleco with 26 awards since the program’s inception in 1998, earning 15 Emergency Response Awards and 11 Emergency Assistance Awards.