Power restoration continues after Hurricane Francine

As of Friday morning, South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association (SLECA) was able to restore about 5,400 meters. However, 75% of their system is still without power. Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative is reporting roughly 3,428 outages, and DEMCO is reporting 6,870 outages.

There are over 700 construction, right-of-way, and distribution crews in the state as of Friday morning.

As conditions remain hazardous in many areas. Consumers are encouraged to follow the following safety tips:

Stay away from downed wires. Always assume they are energized. Contact the co-op to report downed wires or an outage.

Avoid flooded areas. Long-term flooding along rivers and streams can persist for days following a storm. When approaching water on a roadway, remember: Don’t Drown. Turn Around.

Avoid crews working in the street. This will keep you and the crew safe and allow them to work on restoring your power.

Avoid piling debris under powerlines or near pad mount transformers.

If you plan to use a portable generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use only when necessary. Don’t overload it and turn it off at night when you’re asleep or if you leave your home.