For immediate release

Jan. 27, 2009 — 9:30 a.m.

Co-ops dodge bullet on ice storm, brace for Round 2

View the latest information about Missouri co-op systems affected by winter storms.

Most of Missouri’s electric cooperatives dodged a bullet as ice blanketed southern Missouri Jan. 26.

The storm produced major outages only in the Bootheel region, where Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative, Hayti, reported 2,500 members without power; SEMO Electric Cooperative, Sikeston, reported 1,000; and Ozark Border, Poplar Bluff reported 2,500 to 3,000 without power as of Tuesday morning, Jan. 27.

In south-central and southwest Missouri, ice also fell but electric cooperatives there reported power lines were standing up to the strain. Only Howell-Oregon, West Plains, reported problems with approximately 200 outages.

Eight linemen were dispatched by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives from other cooperatives to assist Howell-Oregon’s crews. Another six are enroute to the Sikeston area.

Southern Missouri systems are bracing for another round of ice. The National Weather Service is predicting more freezing rain and sleet in southeast Missouri.

The public is cautioned to avoid any downed power lines and to report them immediately to local authorities.

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Editor's Note: For media inquiries, contact Jim McCarty at 573-680-2451