Southwestern Electric Power Company has deployed helicopters and drones to assess power line damage across northeast Texas and northwest Louisiana following Winter Storm Fern.
SWEPCO launched helicopter patrols shortly after noon Sunday from Marshall, Texas and Natchitoches, Louisiana airports. The aircraft are surveying transmission lines in remote and heavily wooded areas that ground crews cannot safely access due to icy road conditions.
The utility is also using FAA-certified drone operators to provide real-time views of damage including downed lines, broken poles and ice-laden tree limbs in hard-to-reach locations.
“Winter Storm Fern has tested every part of the deep South and certainly challenged our energy infrastructure, but our crews remain committed to getting the lights back on for every customer,” said Adam Keeth, Director of Distribution Engineering and Reliability. “By enlisting helicopter and drone support – these teams help give us eyes in places trucks can’t reach when roads are iced over.”
As of 1:30 p.m. Monday, approximately 29,081 SWEPCO customers remained without power in northwest Louisiana and northeast Texas. At the storm’s peak, more than 68,900 customers lost power across the company’s three-state service region.
SWEPCO is posting warming station locations at SWEPCO.com/outage. Customers can report downed lines or request support by calling 1-888-216-3523.