Representatives from Southwestern Electric Power Company met with sheriffs, mayors, parish administrators and emergency operations officials from across the Valley District on Feb. 19 to review the company’s response to Winter Storm Fern and discuss areas for improvement.
Officials from DeSoto, Red River, Natchitoches, Sabine, Grant and Winn parishes attended the meeting, which was structured as an open discussion focused on storm preparation, restoration efforts, communications and coordination with local governments.
SWEPCO leaders outlined the scope of the company’s service territory, which spans approximately 6,000 square miles across northwest Louisiana, east Texas and western Arkansas. Company representatives emphasized the challenges posed by rural terrain, heavy tree coverage and ice accumulation during winter storms.
During the presentation, officials explained that one inch of ice accumulation significantly increases strain on power infrastructure. A single span of line can experience hundreds of additional pounds of weight from ice accumulation alone, not including fallen trees. Company representatives noted that pine forests common in the region present additional hazards during ice events as these trees are known to bow and snap, falling onto utility lines.
In preparation for Winter Storm Fern, SWEPCO said it began securing mutual assistance nearly a week in advance. Crews from multiple states were staged locally, with base camps established to provide lodging, meals and support for workers operating on 16-hour shifts. State permitting requirements for out-of-state utility vehicles were waived to expedite deployment.
Company officials detailed the restoration priority system used during widespread outages, beginning with public safety and public health infrastructure such as hospitals, nursing homes, water systems, sewer plants and emergency communications facilities. They explained that restoration sometimes requires repairing substations or transmission lines before power can be restored to individual facilities downstream.
Local officials raised concerns about communication during the storm, particularly shifting restoration timelines that made it difficult to provide accurate updates to residents. SWEPCO representatives acknowledged the issue and encouraged officials to ensure updated contact information is on file to improve direct communication during future events.
Discussion also centered on generator readiness for critical infrastructure. Several municipal leaders noted the challenges of securing generators for sewer plants and lift stations. Representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness discussed hazard mitigation grant opportunities and emphasized the importance of ensuring facilities are properly equipped to connect and test backup generation systems before an emergency occurs.
Officials from smaller parishes asked about ensuring adequate crew visibility and response in rural areas. SWEPCO leaders explained that in some cases outages may be tied to substations shared with other utilities, which can affect the timing of visible restoration efforts.
Throughout the meeting, multiple local leaders expressed appreciation for the professionalism and conduct of restoration crews during the storm, noting long hours worked under hazardous conditions.
SWEPCO officials closed the session by encouraging continued coordination and proactive planning ahead of future severe weather events, emphasizing that communication and preparation during calm periods are critical to effective storm response.
