Pineville, La., Oct. 9, 2020 (4 p.m. update) – While Cleco is ready to respond to Hurricane Delta, the company continues to closely monitor the storm to ensure adequate resources and specialized equipment are available to restore power quickly and safely.

“We’ve added some additional transmission workers to our team, as well as some specialized equipment,” said James Lass, director of distribution operations and emergency management.  “Because Cleco serves many rural communities, it’s sometimes difficult to access these areas with regular bucket and pickup trucks especially after a major storm due to debris and flooding.  We currently have four helicopters on standby, track hoes and bulldozers if needed.  The helicopters are needed to inspect our transmission and distribution lines.”

In addition to Cleco personnel, the company has secured 1,992 contractors, including damage assessors, distribution line mechanics, distribution and transmission vegetation specialists and transmission contractors to help with system repairs and power restoration after the storm passes. 

The company also setup additional staging locations for a total of eight sites across the state to store supplies, such as fuel, as well as to feed, and provide lodging and laundry services for the crews. 

Customers are encouraged to:

• Report power outages by calling 1-800-622-6537 or online through MyAccount at cleco.com.
• 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.
• If water is rising, turn off electricity at the main breaker, evacuate and stay away until waters have completely receded.

Customers can find the latest storm updates on the company’s Storm Center page at cleco.com and Cleco’s Facebook page @ClecoPower.