While Mississippi Power workers continue to restore facilities in the company’s service area, there are numerous things customers should keep in mind.

“We’re still working to rebuild lines and reconnect customers,” said Kurt Brautigam, company spokesman. “As customers try to return to some kind of housing in the most severely damaged areas, they need to consult with their local zoning officials or code offices about inspection requirements. When they’re close to being ready to receive power, they need to give us some notice, as it may take several days to a week to construct service lines in those areas.”

Customers can call Mississippi Power’s outage reporting number at 1-800-ITS-DARK (800-487-3275) or the customer service number at 800-532-1502.

“We’re also continuing work to restore our system to normal operating conditions,” Brautigam said. “That process will take several months and we still have outside workers assisting throughout our service area.

“We haven’t experienced any bad weather or even much rain since Katrina, so we’re closely watching any potential effects from the fringes of Hurricane Rita based on its current forecast. There may be numerous loose limbs and weakened trees along our lines that may create some problems. We’ll be ready to respond to any outages.”

Mississippi Power’s meter reading and billing cycles have returned to normal schedules. Normally, meters are read daily in various segments of the company’s service area and bills are then mailed, so that all customers receive bills on a monthly basis.

“During the storm and restoration, we suspended all meter reading,” Brautigam said. “We began mailing bills again in mid-September trying to get back to our regular meter reading and billing schedules. In some cases where we weren’t able to read a meter, we estimated a customer’s usage based on their historical patterns. If that’s the case, the next month’s bill will make up for any difference—of course, customers are only charged for the electricity they use."

Mississippi Power has waived many of its normal fees, including connection fees, late fees, and deposits. “We want to work with our customers however we can as everyone tries to get back to normal,” Brautigam said. “They should feel free to call us if they have any questions at all.”