Iowa electric co-ops helping neighbors in need up north
More than 70 linemen from Iowa’s electric cooperatives are heading north to help neighboring electric co-ops as they work to restore power following Winter Storm Wesley. The storm delivered substantial ice accumulations and high winds along Iowa’s northern border and throughout Minnesota, causing broken poles and ice-packed conductor wire to fall to the ground. Overburdened branches and broken trees have also caused outages. High winds have made progress difficult today as linemen battle the elements to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
As of 4:00 p.m., just over 4,400 meters served by Iowa’s electric cooperatives are without power, with most being located along the state’s northern border. View live outage updates from Iowa’s electric cooperatives at https://www.iowarec.org/outages/. For those who are without power, contact your local electric cooperative or power utility directly to report your outage and to receive progress updates. Find photos of damage and updates on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/IowaElectricCooperatives/.
Crews from Butler County Rural Electric Cooperative, Calhoun County Rural Electric Cooperative, East-Central Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative, Franklin Rural Electric Cooperative, Guthrie County Rural Electric Cooperative, Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative, Farmers Electric Cooperative (Greenfield), Linn County Rural Electric Cooperative, Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative, Midland Power Cooperative, Nishnabotna Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative, Western Iowa Power Cooperative and Woodbury County Rural Electric Cooperative are assisting neighboring electric co-ops with outage restoration in northern Iowa and throughout Minnesota.
Safety is always our highest priority. We remind the public to avoid downed power lines or broken poles; always assume power lines are energized and dangerous unless indicated otherwise by the authorities or utility workers. As crews are working on roadways to restore power and make repairs, please follow the law and move over or slow down so they have room to work safely.
About Iowa’s Electric Cooperatives:
Owned by the member-consumers we serve, Iowa’s community-focused electric cooperatives power the lives of 650,000 Iowans throughout all 99 counties and are committed to delivering power that is safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible. Built by the communities we serve, Iowa’s electric co-ops have also invested heavily in local economic development for decades.
The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) is a trade association established to support the interests of member-owned electric cooperatives, including 37 distribution co-ops and eight generation and transmission co-ops. Formed in 1942, IAEC aims to unify and empower Iowa’s electric cooperatives through legislative representation, regulatory oversight, training and education services, safety programs, communications support and advocacy. Learn more at www.iowarec.org.
For More Information:
Erin Campbell
IAEC Director of Communications
ecampbell@iowarec.org