For immediate release

Feb. 16, 2009 — 9:30 a.m.

Two more electric co-ops expect to complete restoration today

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

Nearly three weeks after a devastating ice storm pummeled Missouri’s southern Ozarks and Bootheel regions, leaving 64,000 without power, the task of restoring power to electric cooperative members is almost complete for two more systems.

As of this morning, the number of members without power in the area fell below 5,500. Fewer than 100 members of both Ozark Border Electric Cooperative, Poplar Bluff, and SEMO Electric Cooperative, Sikeston, remained without electricity. Both co-ops anticipate that crews will finish the restoration process today.

“We believe we can wipe most of them out today,” says Stanley Estes, manager of Ozark Border. “We still have beaucoup of irrigation rigs to reconnect, but we’re down to 80 residents. We don’t want anyone to fall through the cracks, so we encourage any member who doesn’t have power by the end of the day to call the office.”

Missouri’s most damaged electric cooperative, Pemiscot-Dunklin, Hayti, had hoped to turn a corner over the weekend as a number of substations were expected to be reenergized. However, tough working conditions prevented much progress, and as of this morning, about 5,300 remained without electricity.

Manager Charles Crawford said that by the end of the day, the goal is to reenergize six more substations, bringing the total number to 10 of the 14 that serve the co-op.

“As the day goes, we expect a lot of people to get back on,” he says. “We’re starting with the No. 2 sub in the Kennett area, then we’ll move on down the line from there.”

Crawford says the linemen will have to bring power back up slowly to check for problems. He says breakers leading out of substations will be turned off as the transmission lines heat up. Then crews will close the circuits one at a time and look for problems.

When repair work is complete, members are cautioned to disconnect generators wired into home circuits. Any generator that is improperly wired can be damaged when power flows back onto the cooperative’s lines, Crawford says. Generators that serve individual appliances through extension cords should be OK.

Members who have damaged meter bases on their homes will need to have these repaired as this is not the cooperative’s responsibility. Cooperative crews will replace meter bases that are on poles. Also, meters removed to hook up generators need to be replaced.

The public is also urged to be extra careful around any downed power line. Do not assume they are dead. Any downed line should be considered dangerous and should be avoided.

Outage totals for Feb. 16 are as follows:

Ozark Border Electric: 80
Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric: 5,300
SEMO Electric: 99

Total: 5,479

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