BATON ROUGE, La. (KFOR) — A crew of 150 line workers and support personnel with Oklahoma Gas and Electric left for Louisiana on Wednesday to help restore power to areas affected by Hurricane Francine.
Hurricane Francine made landfall on Wednesday in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane.
OG&E crews were able to arrive safely and started working in Gonzales, Louisiana, on Thursday, where heavy flooding and damage from winds affected the area.
Focus was directed to repairing broken poles and cross arms, replacing broken transformers, and repairing downed power lines. Tree trimming crews also helped clear out downed trees and branches.
OG&E crews have been able to restore approximately 3,800 Entergy Louisiana customers and will continue to work on getting more power back on for homes and businesses in the area.
“We know there are many still without power, and we are working to make sure we can get it back on as quickly and safely as possible,” said Chad Guthrie, OG&E Director of Distribution Construction. “I’m grateful to our crews on the ground who are bringing their work ethic and expertise to help the community in Louisiana.”
According to officials, Entergy Louisiana requested support before the arrival of Hurricane Francine. Crews with OG&E left on Wednesday, expecting widespread power outages in the south and southeast parts of Louisiana.
OG&E crews from Oklahoma City, Enid, Ardmore, Muskogee, Kellyville, and Fort Smith, Arkansas will continue to work on restoring power until Entergy Louisiana is able to release crews.
Additional personnel may be rotated in by OG&E if more assistance is needed.
“Our crews were prepared to provide their support and expertise to the Louisiana communities affected by Hurricane Francine,” said Andrea Dennis, OG&E Vice President of Transmission & Distribution Operations. “I’m inspired by our crew's commitment and willingness to help our neighbors. We’re energized by the opportunity to restore power in challenging conditions and help communities recover in the wake of the hurricane.”
