Iowa electric cooperatives send 13 linemen and equipment to help restore power in Mississippi

On January 31, three Iowa electric cooperatives sent 13 linemen and vehicles to Twin County Electric Power Association in Mississippi to help restore power to the co-op's members following a devastating ice storm on January 25.

The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives received the call for mutual aid assistance on January 30 and the safety team immediately went to work reaching out to member co-ops who could help. "The co-op in need was specifically looking for tracked equipment to navigate muddy conditions in the aftermath of the ice storm," remarked Scott Meinecke, IAEC director of safety & loss control.

Three Iowa electric cooperatives were able to send resources immediately:

• Eastern Iowa Light & Power Cooperative sent 4 linemen, two bucket trucks and a tracked digger
• Midland Power Cooperative sent 5 linemen (photo), one bucket truck, one pickup and one digger
• Woodbury Rural Electric Cooperative sent 4 men, one bucket truck, one digger and one tracked skid loader

The crews arrived at the Mississippi co-op by Sunday and quickly set out to aid in power restoration efforts. The Iowa linemen report that they are making good progress day by day and they appreciate the Southern hospitality. The tracked equipment they brought has been especially helpful as they navigate muddy field conditions to reach utility poles.The linemen will be working for several days with Twin County Electric Power Association and you can follow the co-op on Facebook for status updates.

For More Information:

Erin Campbell
IAEC Director of Communications
ecampbell@iowarec.org