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Cleco making steady progress after Hurricane Laura battered its transmission and distribution systems

Sep 1, 2020

Outage numbers continue to improve each day

PINEVILLE, La. – Sept. 1, 2020 – As of 3 p.m. today, power has been restored to 68 percent of the 140,000 customers affected by Hurricane Laura. 

Statewide, Cleco’s system experienced extensive damage, including damage to its transmission and distribution equipment.  Thus far, during initial damage assessments, crews have found 1,200 broken poles, 900 broken transformers, 3,700 broken crossarms, 4,500 trees on power lines and approximately 280 miles of distribution conductor down, and 639 miles of transmission lines damaged or down.  With restoration efforts ongoing, the company expects these numbers to increase.

“Each day the number of customers receiving power improves, which means we’re making steady progress,” said James Lass, director of distribution operations and emergency management.  “Cleco has over 3,000 personnel dedicated to restoration efforts with more Cleco resources and contractor crews coming each day, as they complete restoration in other areas.”

Below are customer outages by parish as of 3 p.m.

Parishes

Number of Customers Without Power

% of Customers Without Power

Acadia

Less than 5

Fewer than 5%

Allen

2,329

38%

Avoyelles

501

5%

Beauregard

5,120

97%

Calcasieu

2,461

97%

Catahoula

18

39%

Desoto

117

2%

Evangeline

432

3%

Grant

6,137

81%

Iberia

Less than 5

0%

Jefferson Davis

39

98%

Lasalle

15

100%

Natchitoches

170

26%

Rapides

19,885

46%

Red River

Less than 5

Fewer than 5%

Sabine

2,611

40%

St. Landry

37

Fewer than 5%

St. Mary

Less than 5

Fewer than 5%

Vernon

4,984

88%

 

For additional information on Cleco’s storm restoration efforts, follow the company on Facebook @ClecoPower or visit Cleco’s Storm Center page at cleco.com/storm-center.