Officials at Mississippi Power are closely watching Hurricane Ivan and making plans should it land near the Mississippi Gulf Coast and affect the company’s service area. Recent forecasts have moved the storm’s track westward so that it is now posing more of a threat to south Mississippi.

“Hurricane Ivan is a significant storm and should it come ashore here, we can expect major damage,” said Mississippi Power spokesman Kurt Brautigam. “Customers must have realistic expectations, especially if it maintains its current strength. We will all need to prepare for the possibility of having our lives interrupted for some time, and that includes not having electric service.

“We will work as long, as hard and as safe as we can before and after any storm affects our area – but customers should expect and prepare for power outages,” Brautigam said. “If Ivan comes in as a category four or five hurricane and causes major structural damage, the power is probably not going to be restored in a just a few days.”

Mississippi Power teams are in contact with neighboring utilities to bring in extra crews and all company employees are prepared for storm duty.

“We have a plan based on a worst case scenario, and we’ll work that plan depending on the amount of damage our system sustains,” Brautigam said. “If we incur significant damage, crews will first have to restore power to emergency facilities and to the main lines that bring electricity to subdivisions and other population centers. Customers, therefore, may not see utility trucks in their neighborhoods immediately after the storm makes landfall.

“Our biggest concern is that this could become the strongest hurricane to hit the Coast since Camille in 1969. This is not a storm like Georges, where the power was out for just a few days. Many of our customers have never seen a category four or five storm and may not have realistic expectations of the recovery, which can lead to frustration and impatience. The potential with this storm is for extended power outages – customers should expect and prepare for that.

“Obviously, we want to restore service to customers as soon as possible after any interruption, and this will be no exception,” Brautigam continued. “We’ll use every available resource at out disposal to restore service quickly and safely. However, the intensity of this storm and the damage it causes will determine how quickly electric service can be restored to all customers.”

Safety should always be a primary concern, for Mississippi Power’s employees and its customers alike. Brautigam urged residents to follow evacuation orders and to leave the area if they are not prepared for a lengthy recovery period. He also reminded customers who rely on electricity for medically-related equipment to make alternative arrangements for meeting those needs.

“We ask for and will appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding in this situation,” Brautigam said. “This could be something very few residents have ever experienced. Some services may be unavailable for a long period of time. If you’re going to stay, please prepare yourself mentally and physically for the aftermath.”

Mississippi Power offers these tips:

• Stay away from all downed lines. Warn others to do the same and contact Mississippi Power or a local law enforcement agency.

• Wait a reasonable time before calling Mississippi Power if your entire neighborhood is without power. Extra calls jam switchboards and slow repairs. • Keep freezer doors closed and sealed. Well-filled freezers keep most foods frozen two to three days if the door is kept closed.

• Do not connect portable generators to your household electrical wiring. This can cause serious injury to you and to electric company employees working on the lines in your neighborhood. Connect only essential appliances – such as freezers and refrigerators – directly to the generator.

• Turn off large appliances and air conditioners and wait 10 to 15 minutes after power has been restored before turning them back on.

• If there is damage to your meter box or the pole on top of your meter box, you must first have an electrician make repairs before Mississippi Power can restore your service.

• If there is flooding in your home or business, Mississippi Power may be unable to restore electric service until the building is inspected by city or county code officials.

• Charge cell phones, pagers and other electronic devices before the storm hits.

• Wash all your clothes and dishes.

• Please be patient. Crews restoring service will work as fast as safety allows. Before neighborhood lines can be restored, Mississippi Power crews must first repair substations and larger lines that bring power to neighborhoods.