More than 2,000 contractors are ready to help Cleco with power outages, the company says.
In addition to Cleco's own resources, the company has hired the contractors and will continue to evaluate manpower as the hurricane comes ashore.
“While the track hasn’t changed, Ida has strengthened to a Category 4 Hurricane and is expected to make landfall along the southeast Louisiana coast in the next few hours. Maximum winds at landfall are expected to be between 155 mph and 160 mph,” said Clint Robichaux, manager of distribution operations support. “We are prepared with all Cleco personnel ready to respond, as well as over 2,000 contractors. We will continue to adjust our resources as needed to safely and efficiently restore power once the storm passes.”
Cleco is reporting that approximately 5,500 customers in St. Tammany Parish are without power due to Hurricane Ida.
“We are already seeing outages in St. Tammany Parish, mostly in Slidell, as the outer bands of the storm are impacting the area,” said Robichaux. “We do have crews working on power restoration, but as conditions deteriorate these crews will have to cease work and wait until the storm passes and conditions are safe to resume work.”
Following the company’s storm restoration plan, once conditions are safe, the focus is on responding to unsafe electrical safety situations and critical infrastructure, and then moving to restore power to the circuits with the largest number of customers until power is restored to all customers who can accept power.
For the most up-to-date outage information, follow the company on Facebook @ClecoPower or visit Cleco’s Storm Center page at cleco.com/storm-center.
