Pineville, La. – Cleco is closely monitoring the predicted path of Hurricane Harvey with resources on stand-by, ready to respond.

“The path of Hurricane Harvey is uncertain and difficult to forecast, but Cleco continues to monitor the latest weather reports,” said James Lass, general manager of distribution operations and emergency management.  “In preparation, all Cleco crews, along with contractor crews, are on standby, and equipment has been secured to safely respond to possible wind and flood related outages.”    

Forecasters are predicting Hurricane Harvey will make landfall in Texas tonight into Saturday morning, and stall for a few days before moving again, potentially into the Gulf of Mexico, before making landfall again, bringing torrential rain across Louisiana.

Cleco urges its customers to prepare now for the possibility of strong winds and flooding.  Suggested preparations include:

• Prepare a storm kit – gather supplies you might need for an outage, including flashlight, batteries, canned food, manual can opener, bottled water, medication and a first aid kit.
• Put all important documents in a waterproof container.
• Plan ahead for special or medical needs.
• Secure sandbags.
• Clear patio furniture and other objects that could move in high winds and cause damage or injury.
• Fully charge cell phones, tablets and laptops.
• Fuel vehicles and ensure they are in travel-ready condition.
• Plan for the safety of animals living outside.
• Call 911 or Cleco at 1-800-622-6537 to report an unsafe situation involving electricity.

Cleco will continue to monitor Hurricane Harvey and its potential impact on Louisiana.  For additional storm preparation and safety tips, visit www.cleco.com.