Utility Outages due to winter weather

As we receive updates from Acadiana-area utility companies, we'll post that information here.

SLEMCO
As of 10 a.m. Sunday, SLEMCO reported 2,700 customers without power, most of them in the northern parts of the company's system. Ice already has begun to build up and trees are falling. Here's what they tell us: "Wind has not been a problem and neither has lightning. Washington Service Center and contractor crews are on the scene and en route to restore power. Additional right-of-way crews and line crews from other service centers are headed that way to assist. We do not have a timeframe as of now. Things are very fluid and we will update every few hours. Report outages by calling 1-888-275-3636. You can also report via SmartHub.
Critically important: If you plan to use a standby generator, make certain the exhaust doesn't flow into your home. Carbon monoxide is odorless and can kill. Do not hook portable generators up to your breaker panel. This can backfeed the line and electrocute our line workers. Thank you for helping us keep them safe. Consider all downed power lines as energized and stay away. As always, we appreciate your patience. We will work just as hard and as fast as we safely can."

CLECO
Winter Storm Fern moved across the central and northern areas of Cleco’s service territory yesterday and overnight causing power outages for nearly 17,000 customers. In addition to all Cleco personnel, the company has 495 additional contractor resources working on restoration efforts.

Winter Storm Fern Power Outages as of 11 a.m. on Sunday, January 25, 2026:

“The majority of the outages are in north and central Louisiana which were the hardest hit parishes. So, we’re moving Cleco resources from non-impacted areas to impacted areas to assist with clearing fallen limbs and power restoration,” said Clint Robichaux, director of distribution operations and reliability. “In addition to all Cleco personnel, we added new resources today for a total of roughly 500 contractors.”
Reasons for power outages during ice and snow:

• Trees can become heavy and brittle due to the accumulation of ice and snow, breaking and falling onto power lines.
• Power lines and other equipment can become damaged due to the weight of ice and snow on the system.

Safety tips:

• Operate portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas and plug appliances directly into generators with grounded extension cords. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet.
• Assume all downed power lines are live and stay away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 1-800-622-6537 and 911.

For the most up to date information on Winter Storm Fern, visit Cleco’s Storm Center page on www.cleco.com/stormcenter [cleco.ciceronewsroom.com] and follow the company on Facebook @ClecoPower.