MEMA steps in to restore electric power

A declaration of a proclamation by the Marshall County Board of Supervisors requesting Gov. Tate Reeves proclaim a state of emergency in Marshall County Feb. 2 set the ball rolling for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to come to help coordinate the ice storm recovery effort.

The resolution, prepared by county administrator Tim Powell, also declared a state of local emergency due to the ice storm and lack of electricity throughout the community.

MEMA's executive director Lt. Col. Stephen C. McCraney arrived in Holly Springs Sat., Feb. 4, to help coordinate the recovery effort.

He said at a press conference arranged at around 2:30 p.m. On the steps of city hall Sunday, Feb. 5, that 19 crews from eight different power cooperatives and municipalities were in Holly Springs to repair the main distribution lines.

McCraney said at one time during the height of the ice storm over the affected counties that 48,000 customers were out of power.

Keith Hayward, general manager/CEO at North East Mississippi Electric Power Association was asked by TVA and MEMA to coordinate the recovery effort on the ground.

He said 187 workers from eight power companies and HSUD were in Marshall and Benton Counties repairing the main threephase feeders Monday.

“I just volunteered my expertise to come up here and help,” Hayward said Monday.

Line crews are working between daylight and dark to restore power, he said.

“We should make a good showing today and tomorrow,” Hayward said.

Most of the City of Holly Springs was back on Monday, he said Northcentral Electric Cooperative sent two crews Monday and sent its engineers to the survey the area, Hayward said.

“I just volunteered to be in charge of coordinating the efforts of the 8 power companies’ crews, working basic areas and outages,” Hayward said.

Crews arrived from Columbus, Starkville, New Albany, North East, West Point, Tombigbee, Tippah Electric and Northcentral to assist in the recovery.

Marshall County Emergency Management Coordinator Leland Reed said crews were repairing the main transmission lines first and were expected to complete that work at day’s end Monday, Feb. 6 in Marshall and Benton counties. Once the main lines are up and running, crews will start working off taps going from the main lines down the roadways, he said.

McCraney said at Sunday’s press conference the goal was to get power restored to HSUD customers in 48 hours.

The numbers of customers without power on the HSUD system is not available.

With an estimated 90 percent of HSUD customers’ eletricity restored late Tuesday, the remaining 10 percent to be restored may take several days,” said Hayward.

“It’s slow progress right now –– it’s isolated torn down stuff.”