9 minute read
Southwestern Electric Power Company
THE BUSINESS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE Providing power to the ARK-LA-TEX with pride and reliability
STORY COMPILED BY TERRI LACHER | PHOTOS BY SWEPCO Special thanks to Karen Wissing and Peter Main at SWEPCO
Advertisement
Southwestern Electric Power Company
We know them as SWEPCO, and many in the East Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana area have come to rely on them for power. Serving more than a half million customers, they take their responsibilities to bring “reliable, increasingly clean energy” seriously, passing on renewable energy, energy efficiency education, and new technology to their customers.
“Folks may not realize that at one time, our business included ice, streetcars, water and gas. That’s part of our rich history spanning more than a century of service,” SWEPCO officials pointed out.
Originally owned by three brothers in 1912, Rufus, Henry, and Charles Dawes, SWEPCO came about with the merger of three companies, Shreveport Gas, Electric Light and Power Company, Caddo Gas and Oil Company, and Texarkana Gas and Electric Company, forming Southwestern Gas and Electric Company. Fortysix years later, they began to focus on electricity and became known as Southwestern Electric Power Company owned by the Central and Southwest Corporation (CSW). According to SWEPCO, in 2000 CSW merged with American Electric Power (AEP). Today, SWEPCO is one of AEP’s seven regional electric utilities.
A review of statistics regarding SWEPCO’s customer’s service provides a perspective on services the company provides today. • Service Territory: Northwest and Central
Louisiana, East Texas and the Texas
Panhandle, and Western Arkansas • Customers – 543,400 including 233,000 LA, 187,600 TX, 122,800 Arkansas • Employees – 1,700 • Headquarters – Shreveport, LA • Transmission lines – 4,138 miles • Distribution lines – 25,255 miles • Generation capacity – 5,162 megawatts (coal, gas, wind)
Some of SWEPCO’s responsibilities are building and maintaining electric grid systems including poles, wires, substations and power plants. Their linemen best represent the company as they are the faces seen in neighborhoods, especially in the wake of powerful storms common across the region.
During the recent snow and ice storms, as well as in past severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, it is the linemen who are the first arriving in areas hardest hit by destruction and working around the clock seven days a week to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.
A work force of 1,500 workers, including more than 300 SWEPCO employees, operated out of three base camps to assist in restoration efforts during February’s powerful snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice storms. Center served as a base camp for SWEPCO’s power restoration efforts in East Texas and neighboring Central Louisiana. The temporary facility set up at the Center Municipal Airport provided housing and meals for 450 contract crew members assisting SWEPCO in the power restoration, along with parking and fuel for their vehicles. The bitter cold weather left 4,500 East Texas customers without power on Feb. 17, with the most damage and outages in Shelby County although nearby parishes in Louisiana experienced heavy ice storm damage as well.
As the base camp in Center was demobilized after the storm, SWEPCO donated food and water not used by restoration crews to three Shelby County organizations. The three centers had a semi-trailer load of dry goods, refrigerated and frozen foods, ranging from fresh vegetables to meats and candy, along with both breakfast and dinner foods. Along with food, bottled water was sent specifically to the Joaquin area due to the water supply system in eastern Shelby County being inoperable. The three organizations receiving the pallets of goods were Food for Thought Food Bank in Timpson operated through First Baptist Church in Timpson, Joaquin CCS Food Bank operated through First Baptist Church in Haslam, Jody Hooper, pastor, and Shelby County Outreach Ministries in Center.
February’s bitter storm also forced a series of emergency-controlled outages implemented by
AT A GLANCE
WHAT:
Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO)
WHO:
An AEP Company (American Electric Power)
WHERE:
Service Region- Northwest and Central Louisiana, East Texas and the Texas Panhandle, and Western Arkansas
PHONE:
(888) 216-3523
WEBSITE:
swepco.com
SWEPCO and other utilities on Feb. 15 and 16. The outages followed an emergency appeal for conservation of electricity on Feb. 14 as the extraordinary winter storm gripped a large part of the United States. The action came at the direction of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the 14-state regional grid in which SWEPCO operates. Across SPP, available power generation was unable to meet customer demand for electricity for about one hour on Feb. 15 and two and a half hours on Feb. 16. SWEPCO’s emergency plan limits outages to no more than two hours whenever possible, although weather or system conditions can affect power restoration times. Customer conservation efforts and the controlled outages by utilities helped restore the stability of the grid and prevent more serious outage situations across the region. The regional electric load reduction on Feb. 15 and 16 was the first in SPP’s 80year history.
SWEPCO expressed their thanks to customers for their patience throughout the severe winter storm. Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas experienced record low temperatures, and 23,200 customers were without power at the peak of the winter storm.
“We greatly appreciate everyone for bearing with us during that time,” said Malcolm Smoak, SWEPCO president and chief operating officer. “We understand the issues that outages can create for our customers, and that’s why our crews worked tirelessly in hazardous conditions to restore power for everyone.”
SWEPCO also understands the concerns of their customers due to the impact of COVIC-19. As a result, they have set up a SWEPCO assistance web site at SWEPCO.com/Assist to help those who are struggling to pay their electric bills with options that include extended payment agreements. They also understand the critical need for reliable electric service, and they are committed to the health and safety of their customers, communities and employees, and taken “significant steps” to keep their employees safe and healthy.”
Line workers and other employees critical to maintaining service are working in smaller teams, adjusting work schedules, practicing physical distancing, wearing facial coverings when physical distancing is not possible, monitoring themselves for symptoms and taking other prevention measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All employees who can are working from home to help minimize contact for all employees and prevent the spread of the virus.
SWEPCO customers in East Texas and the Panhandle may sometimes hear confusing news and advisories from other parts of Texas that are in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). SWEPCO is in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which is a separate reliability grid from ERCOT. We know it can be confusing when neighboring communities are not in the same grid, like Tyler in ERCOT and Longview in SPP. We just ask that customer look to SWEPCO for communications about the status of the grid serving them.
In June 2020, the American Electric Power Foundation, which is funded by SWEPCO and other AEP operating companies, announced $5,000 grants to the Shelby County Child Advocacy Center and the Rusk County Salvation Army to support local COVID-19-related services.
Shelby County Child Advocacy Center – to address increased domestic violence and sexual abuse cases as well as general counseling needs.
Rusk County Salvation Army – to help with an increase in food pantry requests from new families applying for assistance.”
Mutual assistance is at the heart of major storm restoration, allowing us to assemble the work force necessary to restore power. Just as 1,500-line, tree and support personnel helped SWEPCO in power restoration during the February winter storm and the two hurricanes last summer, SWEPCO crews assist other utilities across the country. SWEPCO was recognized in February 2021 with an Emergency Response Award by the
Edison Electric Institute (EEI). Emergency Response Awards recognize recovery and assistance efforts by EEI member companies following service disruptions caused by extreme weather or other natural events. SWEPCO sent line and contract personnel to partner electric utilities – including sister operating companies at AEP – following multiple hurricanes and another severe ice storm.”
Over the course of these assignments in 2020, crews encountered all types of adverse weather, including flooding and high winds, extreme heat, varying terrains and dangerous wildlife. Not only were these conditions not ideal, but crews also had to navigate the health and safety challenges posed by COVID-19 as the global pandemic continued.
“In the utility industry, providing mutual aid is not a matter of ‘if,’ but a matter of ‘when,’” said Smoak. “After Hurricane Laura, 3,500 workers from our sister operating companies and other utilities, representing 15 states and Canada, helped SWEPCO employees get the lights back on for our customers. In turn, we helped other utilities across multiple states. Our crews will work long hours in difficult conditions to get the power restored. When strong teams come together, it’s incredible what we can accomplish.”
“For the first time, SWEPCO ranks No. 1 among midsize utilities in the South in the J.D. Power 2020 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study,” Smoak added.
“From delivering safe, reliable and affordable electricity to helping businesses save energy and money, the SWEPCO Team is proud to be part of the strong and vibrant communities it serves. This award demonstrates our progress in pursuit of excellent customer service,” said Smoak. “SWEPCO employees are committed to meeting customers’ expectations, especially with the challenges everyone is facing during the pandemic.”
SWEPCO scored highest in the midsize South segment of business customers for power quality and reliability; billing and payment; and customer contact. The J.D. Power study examines overall business customer satisfaction across six factors: power quality and reliability; corporate citizenship; price; billing and payment; communications; and customer contact. With the coming spring, SWEPCO sends out a reminder to “Look Up! Stay Clear!”
Safety practices are important to follow before tackling any project, with first checking the location of overhead wires, and remembering to keep all tools, ladders, etc., at least ten feet away from power lines. As the spring storm season approaches, SWEPCO reminds to remember that any downed or fallen wire should be treated as live and dangerous and should not be disturbed. Fallen power lines are dangerous because they carry an electric current that can cause serious or even fatal injuries. If a fallen wire is encountered, keep away, keep others away, and call SWEPCO or 911 immediately.
When using a portable or RV generator, SWEPCO has this reminder: Do not plug the generator into your home’s circuit box. Portable generators “backfeed” electricity up the line and risk the lives of repair workers and the public. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions carefully. Plug essential appliances directly into the generator. And never use a generator in enclosed spaces like your home or garage. Learn more at SWEPCO dot some slash safety.”
SWEPCO is there to assist in the maintenance and restoration of power to their customers. If you have any questions or need to report a power outage, you may reach them at SWEPCO.com or call 1-888218-3919.
