SWEPCO's Latest: How Many Left? How Much Longer?

SWEPCO's Michael Corbin talks about the massive effort to restore power to ArkLaTex residents still without service.

Corbin begins by explaining the size of the effort currently underway. "(CenturyLink Center) is one of three base camps we have set up and we're beginning to set up a fourth," he explains, after describing how men and machines had take over the arena's entire parking lot, "We're up to about thirty three hundred workers from about fifteen states and a large contingent from Canada."

Corbin then updates the situation to folks still in the dark - and heat. "It's hot and humid and we understand that. Our numbers are looking good in Louisiana. Total, we're down to about 47,800. In what we call the Shreveport District, we're down to 12,380. Shreveport, Greenwood, Blanchard areas, we're at about 8,700. Bossier City is about 1,500. Haughton, Benton area is 2,071."

And th timetable for complete restoration? "With the progress that was made (Sunday), I think that by midday (Monday) we'll not only see additional improvement, but we're going to see those estimated times of restoration begin to back up for the Shreveport, Bossier City area.

Corbin then gives a pat on the back to all the workers across the area. "They're working at least sixteen hour days. All those workers want to see the electricity back on up here," he says, pointing out that after the work here is done, most will be heading down south. "They won't be going home. A large majority will move either into our southern service area or they're going to go to Lake Charles."