Thousands of East Texans Still Experiencing Power Outages Following Winter Storm

Thousands of East Texans are still grappling with power outages days after a winter storm wreaked havoc across the state over the weekend. Many residents may remain without electricity until Sunday as utility workers navigate icy roads in dense forests to restore power.

Winter Storm Fern swept across the U.S., stretching from New Mexico to the Northeast, leaving behind thick layers of ice and snow. In Texas, temperatures plummeted below freezing, resulting in power outages that varied from a few minutes to several days.

Notably, East Texas was the only region in the state to experience prolonged power outages.

Misty Gulley, a cafeteria worker in Panola County, has been without power since 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. To keep warm, she has been relying on a gas-powered generator.

“Once I run out of gas, I’ll be in trouble,” she expressed. “Getting more is challenging due to road conditions, and the cost of running it is a concern.”

Panola County is among the areas near the Louisiana border still facing power outages. Shelby County, located directly south of Panola and home to approximately 24,000 residents, experienced the most ice accumulation in the state. This led to downed power lines, poles, and trees, according to Brittney Ford, communications director for the Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative.

The Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative has reported the highest number of outages in the state, working tirelessly to repair hundreds of lines and poles across eight counties. As of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the cooperative had 10,688 customers without power, which accounts for about 25% of its customer base.

Many areas in East Texas affected by the recent winter weather are serviced by electric cooperatives, which differ from larger corporations like Oncor or Xcel that cater to urban centers such as Amarillo and Dallas. These cooperatives are member-owned and operate on a not-for-profit basis, primarily serving rural regions. Julia Harvey, vice president of government relations and regulatory affairs for the Texas Electric Cooperatives, noted that these co-ops rigorously prepare for extreme weather conditions.

“They do everything they can to prepare for every eventuality,” Harvey stated. “However, differing weather patterns pose unique risks in various areas of the state. The rural nature of these systems, operating on private land with tall trees impacted by ice outside of cooperative rights-of-way, complicates restoration efforts.”

Deep East Texas is characterized by its rural, heavily wooded landscape, with towering pine trees and dense vegetation that complicate access to power lines. While maintaining power lines during normal conditions is challenging, restoration after a storm is particularly labor-intensive and time-consuming, Ford explained.

“We have replaced approximately 30 poles thus far and 200 cross arms,” Ford reported. “We estimate that around 150 poles and 400 cross arms still need replacement.”

The cooperative has received assistance from other cooperatives across the region and state, with over 300 crew members on the ground as of Tuesday morning.

Ford mentioned that while they hope to restore power sooner than Sunday, the cooperative aims to be realistic and transparent about the timeline for restoration.

Disclosure: Oncor and Texas Electric Cooperative have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters do not influence the Tribune’s journalism. A complete list of them can be found here.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.

Topics
Windstorm

Thousands of East Texans are still grappling with power outages days after a winter storm wreaked havoc across the state over the weekend. Many residents may remain without electricity until Sunday as utility workers navigate icy roads in dense forests to restore power.

Winter Storm Fern swept across the U.S., stretching from New Mexico to the Northeast, leaving behind thick layers of ice and snow. In Texas, temperatures plummeted below freezing, resulting in power outages that varied from a few minutes to several days.

Notably, East Texas was the only region in the state to experience prolonged power outages.

Misty Gulley, a cafeteria worker in Panola County, has been without power since 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. To keep warm, she has been relying on a gas-powered generator.

“Once I run out of gas, I’ll be in trouble,” she expressed. “Getting more is challenging due to road conditions, and the cost of running it is a concern.”

Panola County is among the areas near the Louisiana border still facing power outages. Shelby County, located directly south of Panola and home to approximately 24,000 residents, experienced the most ice accumulation in the state. This led to downed power lines, poles, and trees, according to Brittney Ford, communications director for the Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative.

The Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative has reported the highest number of outages in the state, working tirelessly to repair hundreds of lines and poles across eight counties. As of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the cooperative had 10,688 customers without power, which accounts for about 25% of its customer base.

Many areas in East Texas affected by the recent winter weather are serviced by electric cooperatives, which differ from larger corporations like Oncor or Xcel that cater to urban centers such as Amarillo and Dallas. These cooperatives are member-owned and operate on a not-for-profit basis, primarily serving rural regions. Julia Harvey, vice president of government relations and regulatory affairs for the Texas Electric Cooperatives, noted that these co-ops rigorously prepare for extreme weather conditions.

“They do everything they can to prepare for every eventuality,” Harvey stated. “However, differing weather patterns pose unique risks in various areas of the state. The rural nature of these systems, operating on private land with tall trees impacted by ice outside of cooperative rights-of-way, complicates restoration efforts.”

Deep East Texas is characterized by its rural, heavily wooded landscape, with towering pine trees and dense vegetation that complicate access to power lines. While maintaining power lines during normal conditions is challenging, restoration after a storm is particularly labor-intensive and time-consuming, Ford explained.

“We have replaced approximately 30 poles thus far and 200 cross arms,” Ford reported. “We estimate that around 150 poles and 400 cross arms still need replacement.”

The cooperative has received assistance from other cooperatives across the region and state, with over 300 crew members on the ground as of Tuesday morning.

Ford mentioned that while they hope to restore power sooner than Sunday, the cooperative aims to be realistic and transparent about the timeline for restoration.

Disclosure: Oncor and Texas Electric Cooperative have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters do not influence the Tribune’s journalism. A complete list of them can be found here.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.

Topics
Windstorm