Region avoids widespread power outages

TEXARKANA - As the second winter storm this week moved into the region Tuesday night, Texarkana-area electricity customers did not experience the widespread power outages that have caused a crisis across much of Texas.

Southwest Electric Power Co. reported 16 Texarkana customers without power at about noon Wednesday, according to its online tracking map. The website PowerOutage.us showed seven SWEPCO customers in Miller County, Arkansas, without power. No Entergy Arkansas customers in Miller County were experiencing an outage, though more than 900 had lost service statewide. The Southwest Arkansas Electric Cooperative reported zero outages.

Hundreds more SWEPCO customers lost power south of Interstate 20, especially in the Shreveport, Louisiana, region. High demand for electricity caused Entergy Arkansas to conduct rolling blackouts in its service area between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Both SWEPCO and Entergy have mobilized hundreds of repair personnel to be at the ready in case of downed power lines or other problems as winter precipitation continues into Thursday.

In a statement published Wednesday morning, SWEPCO officials anticipated "significant damage to the electric system and the potential for extended power outages."

"Ice storms can be slowly developing events with new outages occurring over many hours. We expect extremely hazardous road conditions and difficult access to damaged utility equipment," they said.

All three local electricity providers urge customers to conserve energy so demand does not exceed system capacity, which would result in rolling blackouts. Recommendations include limiting use of appliances such as dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, and water heaters, as well as setting thermostats at lower temperatures than normal.

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