Pineville, La. – Crews are working to restore power to 14,000 Cleco customers affected by Winter Storm Benji which continues to move across Louisiana bringing snow and icy conditions. 

“At this time, we are not seeing a lot of damage to poles and lines,” said James Lass, general manager of distribution operations and emergency management.  “The main issue appears to be heavy, snow- and ice-laden tree limbs sagging, and in some instances, falling, into power lines.  However, we are still assessing the damage.”    

“Other obstacles our crews are facing include poor road conditions, and in some cases, road closures,” said Lass.  “Rest assured that Cleco has the crews, materials and equipment ready to restore power to customers once the road and weather conditions improve.” 

Cleco reminds customers to be aware of power lines on the ground. These lines could be energized and dangerous. Cleco also recommends following manufacturer's instructions when using a generator. Never plug a generator into a home's outlet as power could flow through a home's metering system and onto a line, creating a hazardous situation for workers.

For more safety tips, visit www.cleco.com or facebook.com/ClecoPower.  For up-to-the-minute outage updates, go to cleco.com/storm-center.