What's New

Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 28, 2007 - As of Wednesday morning, Iowa's electric cooperatives estimated approximately 12,095 member-consumers were still without power throughout Iowa, following last weekend's winter storm. The damage includes thousands of downed distribution and transmission poles, and substation outages due to ice, wind and heavy snow. Approximately 10 substations remain without power.

At the peak of the storm, Iowa's electric cooperatives estimated more than 100,000 member-consumers were without power, 48 substations were out and nearly 5,000 distribution and transmission poles were down. Electric cooperative crews from Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Illinois have been assisting with the restoration efforts. Approximately 800 line workers from Iowa's electric cooperatives and these neighboring states are working to restore power.

Electric cooperative member-consumers who remain without power are encouraged to relocate to a nearby emergency shelter. Consumers may contact their local emergency management coordinator, call the Iowa Concern Hotline at 1 (800) 447-1985 or 211, or visit http://www.bereadyiowa.org/winterstorm.asp to locate a shelter in their area. The Governor's office is also encouraging Iowans to call 911 if it is an emergency and they need to be transported to a local shelter. In addition, the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives advises the public to stay away from downed power lines and other equipment as they could cause serious injury.

The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, formed in 1942, is the Des Moines-based statewide association representing 37 distribution cooperatives in Iowa and six generation and transmission cooperatives serving more than 210,000 rural homes, farms and industries in all 99 counties. The IAEC provides legislative, regulatory, safety, communications and education and training programs and services to its members. The IAEC is also a Touchstone Energy partner - a national alliance of local, consumer-owned electric cooperatives. More than 600 Touchstone Energy cooperatives in 45 states are delivering energy and energy solutions to more than 22 million customers every day.

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For more information about items in this section please contact Ann Foster, director of communications, Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, (515) 276-5350 or afoster@iowarec.org.

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