When the powerful spring storm swept through our region this April, we know it brought more than just high winds and heavy rain — it brought uncertainty and hardship. At the height of the outages, more than 1,800 of our neighbors were left in the dark, impacting homes, local businesses, and essential services. We understand that being without power is far more than an inconvenience. It’s a disruption to your family’s safety and daily life. That is why our Ouachita Electric crews began working through long days and late nights immediately, navigating harsh conditions with the sole goal of getting your lights back on safely.
The hard reality of recovery
Restoring power is rarely as simple as flipping a switch. This storm left behind extensive damage, snapping poles and uprooting entire sections of line. Wooded
rights-of-way and muddy, debris-filled terrain made reaching the damage a significant challenge, requiring careful planning before our teams could even begin repairs.
Our promise to you
We follow a systematic approach to restoration designed to help the most people as safely as possible:
• Safety first: We prioritize identifying dangerous downed wires to protect both the public and our workers.
• Restoring the backbone: Crews focus first on main transmission and distribution lines that serve the largest number of members.
• Individual care: Once those main lines are stable, we move to smaller taps and individual service lines.
While this process means some families are restored faster than others, please know that we see you and we haven't forgotten you. Those in areas with more severe damage may face a longer wait, which is a difficult reality we share with you. We are incredibly grateful for your patience and the trust you place in us. Our dedicated crews and staff remain committed to working until every single member’s power is restored and our community is whole again.
When storms hit and the lights go out, Ouachita Electric stands ready, working through the worst conditions, one repair at a time, to keep the power on for the members we proudly serve.