Power restored to almost all of Southeast Missouri

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The lights came back on for approximately 565 Ozark Border Electric Cooperative customers during the past four days.

"We only have 34 left in the Malden area and we should have them back on today," said Stanley Estes, the cooperative's general manager.

Some residents have to hire an electrician to make repairs before power can be restored to their homes.

"We will still have irrigation wells to reconnect, but the farmers don't need them until May," Estes said.

Ozark Border lost about 3,000 poles and a large number of transformers with the restoration cost exceeding $6 million, according to Estes. The Jan. 27 ice storm knocked out power to 28,000 Ozark Border members.

SEMO Electric Cooperative restored power Monday to the remaining 99 members. This cooperative had 14,000 members without electricity, including rural residents in eastern Stoddard County. Crews had to replace more than 3,800 poles.

Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative re-energized six more substations Monday and reduced its outages to 1,895 this morning. Of the cooperative's 14 substations, 10 have now been re-energized.

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency reported approximately 200 customers of Kennett's municipal system remained without power Monday. Electricity is expected to be fully restored in Kennett by the middle of the week.

In Arkansas, the Clay County Electric Cooperative restored power to 1,500 members during the past four days, but 3,300 are still in the dark today as crews begin the fourth week of restoration work. Other cooperatives in northern Arkansas have a total of 3,650 members without power as of 4 p.m. Monday.