There are 60 AEP SWEPCO employees in some 45 vehicles working in Mississippi to assist with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts for two weeks or more. SWEPCO will work with Mississippi Power, a Southern Company utility.
             SWEPCO crews dedicated to Katrina recovery total about 20 workers each from Fayetteville, Longview and Shreveport areas, and include line mechanics, line servicers, engineering and fleet technicians, and distribution system supervisors. Additionally, the company has released about 130 employees from their contract tree and line repair crews, bringing the total commitment to 190 people in Mississippi and Louisiana. Over 1,500 employees and contractors are working Katrina recovery across AEP’s 11-state service area, shattering the old mark of 800 that assisted following Hurricane Jeanne a year ago. Over 2.6 million customers across the South lost power after the storm.
             The impact of hurricane storm damage on an electric system can be extensive, and SWEPCO is in a position to help out neighboring utilities as part of its mutual assistance plan. Just last August and September, about 180 SWEPCO employees helped other utilities recover from three hurricanes: Charley, Frances and Jeanne.