Cleco restores power to 87 percent of customers following Tropical Storm Cristobal

June 7, 2020 (9 p.m. update) – Cleco has restored power to 3,053 of the roughly 3,500 customers who lost electricity due to Tropical Storm Cristobal.

As of 9 p.m., 447 customers were without power. The majority of these customers are in St. Tammany Parish with a few reported outages in Washington Parish.

“We’ve restored power to 87 percent of our customers, but we expect new power outages as the center of the storm moves inland. Rain, flooding and high winds are forecasted to continue through Monday morning,” said James Lass, director of distribution operations and emergency management. “While our crews are still working, some customers in these areas will be without power overnight. We recommend customers with medical needs and small children make the necessary arrangements for tonight.”

Safety tips during and after Tropical Storm Cristobal: Listen to local radio and TV stations for power outage and restoration status reports. If water is rising, turn off electricity at the main breaker, evacuate and stay away until the water has completely receded.  Generators should be operated outdoors only in well-ventilated areas. Plug appliances directly into portable generators with grounded extension cords that can handle the load. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Don't exceed the rated capacity of the generator and only refuel when the engine is off and cool.

Be mindful of the COVID-19 pandemic and make every effort to avoid Cleco work zones.  Assume all downed lines are live and stay away. Report downed lines immediately by calling 1-800-622-6537 or 911.

For additional safety tips, please visit www.cleco.com.