Gulfport, Miss. – Mississippi Power crews are restoring power following yesterday’s tornado in the cities of Hattiesburg and Petal. As of 10 a.m., approximately 4,000 customers are without power. The extensive damage included nearly 100 broken power poles as a result of the severe weather.
“Our line crews worked through the night and have made tremendous progress from the peak of the storm, when 13,000 customers were affected. We will continue working nonstop to safely restore power,” said Mississippi Power Pine Belt Division Manager Jason Lee. “We are working on the hardest hit areas first, which has been challenging due to the continuous rain, wind and scattered debris blocking access to troubled areas.”
More than 300 additional support, including linemen, engineers and tree crews, have been called to action to expedite the restoration process.
“We’re implementing our storm-tested restoration plan and bringing in crews who have proven experience in emergency restoration operations,” Lee said.
Important Safety Messages for Customers:
Power line safety
Never touch a downed power line – always assume it is live. If you come across a downed line, contact our Customer Service Center, available 24 hours, 7 days a week at 1-800-532-1502 and call 911.
Only travel if necessary
Please stay off roads – many are impassable due to debris and a number of downed poles and wires. If you must get on the road, please be safe and look out for our crews. We are coordinating with local officials to help clear debris from roadways. In addition, increased traffic may delay power restoration efforts.
Customer outage reporting
Customers should report outages through the company’s automated reporting system at 1-800-ITS-DARK (1-800-487-3275). Also, representatives at our Customer Service Center are available 24 hours, 7 days a week at 1-800-532-1502.
Generator safety
• Customers planning to use a portable generator need to know how to use them safely. That knowledge could save a life. While generators can provide a great service during outages, if improperly installed or used, the energy produced by the generator can flow into the home or out on the distribution line – an occurrence known as backfeeding. Never try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet.
• Keep the generator dry and do not use in rain or wet conditions. To protect from moisture, operate it on a dry surface under an open, canopy-like structure. Dry your hands if wet before touching the generator.
• Plug appliances directly into the generator. Or, use a heavy duty, outdoor-rated extension cord that is rated (in watts or amps) at least equal to the sum of the connected appliance loads. Check that the entire cord is free of cuts or tears and that the plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin.
• For power outages, permanently installed stationary generators are better suited for providing backup power to the home. Even a properly connected portable generator can become overloaded. This may result in overheating or stressing the generator components, possibly leading to a generator failure.
Additional customer information
Local customer service offices in the Pine Belt are open today.
Customers can follow updates on Mississippi Power’s Facebook page or Twitter feed @MS_Power.
Mississippi Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, serves approximately 186,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power recently was awarded the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Assistance Award for restoration efforts after Hurricane Sandy.
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