For immediate release

Feb. 3, 2009 — 4 p.m.

Work continues to restore transmission to electric co-ops

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

Rebuilding miles of high-voltage transmission lines that feed electricity from power plants to rural electric cooperatives in southeast Missouri appears to be the largest remaining obstacle to getting electricity restored to homes and businesses.

As of 3 p.m. today, more than 16,000 co-op members remain without power, a majority of which are members of the Bootheel’s two electric cooperatives, Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric, Hayti, and SEMO Electric, Sikeston.

“Our system had endured the most damage from a single event that has ever been experienced in our history,” said John Farris, general manager for M&A Electric Power Cooperative, Poplar Bluff, the transmission cooperative that serves southeast Missouri.

The destruction is practically incomprehensible. As ice accumulated to more than 2 inches thick in some areas, the transmission system initially bore the weight, but eventually failed. At the height of the damage, more than 145 miles of high-voltage transmission lines fell to the ground as more than 2,350 poles snapped.

Rebuilding miles and miles of transmission requires large heavy equipment that has been slowed by the muddy conditions. To aid in the process, M&A Power brought in sleds — huge steel plates — to allow dozers to move trucks that are sinking into the swampy ground. Knee-deep mud has been commonplace.

By Tuesday afternoon, most substations — which connect transmission lines to the distribution lines that carry electricity to homes — were back in service in southeast Missouri. Ozark Border Electric Cooperative in Poplar Bluff and SEMO Electric in Sikeston each had one substation still out of service. The hardest hit distribution cooperative, Pemiscot-Dunklin, had only two of 12 substations in operation.

Reports from distribution co-ops indicated that additional gains should be realized as line crews report this evening. They have rebuilt considerable numbers of distribution lines that will carry electricity to homes once transmission service is restored.

“We’re anxious to see this nightmare end, but we realize that the customers sitting in the dark are even more anxious,” Farris said. “That knowledge will keep us on the job until the last line is turned on.”

Outage totals as of 3 p.m., Feb. 3 are as follows:

Howell-Oregon, West Plains: 495
Ozark Border, Poplar Bluff: 4,200
Pemiscot-Dunklin: 6,300
SEMO, Sikeston: 5,500
White River Valley, Branson: RESTORED

TOTAL: 16,495

For a look at how your co-op typically goes about the task of restoring electric service, visit http://www.amec.org/poweron.html

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