AEP Texas: Hurricane Dolly, 2 p.m. Update

Update: 2 PM, 7/24/2008 


CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, July 24  /PRNewswire/ -- Telling It Briefly:

-- As of 1:30 p.m. today, approximately 165,700 residences and businesses in the Rio Grande Valley were without electric service due to Hurricane Dolly.

-- Earlier today, damage assessors from AEP Texas fanned out across the Valley to determine the materials and resources needed to rebuild the electric system. This is one of the first steps in the restoration process. Additionally, crews are working to clear out electrical hazards like downed power lines.

-- Approximately, 1,740 additional workers are traveling to the Valley today and tomorrow to help restore service. This is an increase in the number requested earlier due to the extensive damage to the area. An estimate of the time it will take to complete service restoration will be determined after a complete assessment of our electrical system.

-- Customers who still have power are asked to conserve electricity while crews are restoring service to other customers. This will help prevent an overload on the electric system.

  Customers Currently Without Power

                             7/24/08           7/24/08           7/23/08
  Location                   2:00 PM           10:00 AM          9:00 PM

  Brownsville/
   Port Isabel, TX            28,150            30,530           30,393
  Edinburg, TX                 9,695            16,754           13,479
  Harlingen, TX,
   La Feria                   33,094            36,846           36,906
  McAllen, TX                 20,218            20,740           14,317
  Mission, TX                 10,812            21,755            8,128
  Pharr, TX                   21,154            33,084           13,810
  San Benito, TX               6,745             8,377            7,282
  Weslaco, TX                 35,843            32,301           31,024
  Total                      165,711           200,387          155,339
  Note: Times shown are CDT


  Safety Messages


Severe weather can cause power lines to snap or poles to come down. Fallen power lines are dangerous because they carry an electric current that can cause serious or fatal injury. Never touch a fallen wire, no matter how harmless it looks. And keep others away from the potential hazard as well. If you encounter fallen wires, stay away from them and immediately contact AEP Texas.

In the event of a major power interruption, life-support customers are encouraged to contact AEP Texas's toll-free customer service number to advise our representatives of their situation. Due to the nature of restoration activity, AEP Texas cannot assure priority restoration for life-support customers. Life-support customers are advised to take precautionary measures to protect themselves in the event of a power loss. Contact relatives or friends for assistance or temporary accommodations in the event of a prolonged outage. Keep emergency phone numbers (physicians, hospitals, safety services, utilities) posted near your telephone.

If you use a portable or RV generator, do not plug the generator into your circuit box. Portable generators "backfeed" electricity up the line and risk the lives of repair workers and the public. Follow the manufacturers' instructions carefully, and plug essential appliances directly into the generator. See additional information about use of backup generators.

For the latest information, please go to http://www.aeptexas.com/ 

DATASOURCE: AEP Texas



CONTACT:  Andy Heines, [phone], cell: [phone], or Larry

Jones, cell: [phone], both for AEP Texas



Web site:  http://www.aeptexas.com/

http://www.aep.com/ 



Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/042050.html 

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