LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The winter storm forecast for this weekend is proving to be less destructive than expected. This will allow Entergy Arkansas, Inc., to release some resources it had secured to help restore service in other places that have suffered more damage from the winter storm.
Meanwhile, workers will focus on restoring service to Arkansas customers who lost power in Friday’s storm. Most of those should be back on by Saturday evening.
Early weather forecasts projected a great deal of freezing rain, which typically leads to accumulation on trees and lines, resulting in power outages. Damage to electric facilities was expected to be extensive. Fortunately, there was more sleet and less freezing rain than expected in Arkansas. Sleet is much less of a problem for power lines.
Entergy Arkansas prepared for the storm by mobilizing 6,700 workers from other utility companies and contractors. Those that were still en route Friday afternoon were released to be of service to other utility companies that did suffer extensive damage. For instance, the Dallas area was especially hard-hit. Of the workers already in place in Arkansas, some will stay to help with several thousand Entergy Arkansas customer outages, as well as a second round of winter weather forecasted for Sunday. The storm team will decide on remaining resources Saturday based on damage from the current storm and forecasts for Sunday.
“We always say: ‘We prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.’ We were prepared for a massive restoration effort,” said Entergy Arkansas, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Hugh McDonald. “Fortunately, the scenario played out to be relatively mild. We are thankful for all those who responded to the call to prepare for a heroic restoration effort, and we are pleased that most of those resources can now be re-routed to where they are desperately needed.”
Meanwhile, workers will focus on restoring service to Arkansas customers who lost power in Friday’s storm. Most of those should be back on by Saturday evening.
Early weather forecasts projected a great deal of freezing rain, which typically leads to accumulation on trees and lines, resulting in power outages. Damage to electric facilities was expected to be extensive. Fortunately, there was more sleet and less freezing rain than expected in Arkansas. Sleet is much less of a problem for power lines.
Entergy Arkansas prepared for the storm by mobilizing 6,700 workers from other utility companies and contractors. Those that were still en route Friday afternoon were released to be of service to other utility companies that did suffer extensive damage. For instance, the Dallas area was especially hard-hit. Of the workers already in place in Arkansas, some will stay to help with several thousand Entergy Arkansas customer outages, as well as a second round of winter weather forecasted for Sunday. The storm team will decide on remaining resources Saturday based on damage from the current storm and forecasts for Sunday.
“We always say: ‘We prepare for the worst, but hope for the best.’ We were prepared for a massive restoration effort,” said Entergy Arkansas, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Hugh McDonald. “Fortunately, the scenario played out to be relatively mild. We are thankful for all those who responded to the call to prepare for a heroic restoration effort, and we are pleased that most of those resources can now be re-routed to where they are desperately needed.”