LITTLE ROCK — For the second time in September, AECI Utility Solutions crews have been dispatched to the Gulf Coast to assist with anticipated power outages.
AECI Utility Solutions, a division of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. of Little Rock, routed 54 lineworkers and equipment to Clay Electric Cooperative of Keystone, Florida, to assist as Hurricane Helene makes its way to the panhandle. Crews will stage inland and commence assistance once the hurricane makes landfall and damage assessments are complete.
According to cooperative officials, additional crews are on standby to aid electric utilities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Crews include Mike Matty, Jay Verser, Jason Striplin, Mike Rogers, Mark Jackson, William Thompson, John Finley, Tyler Mays, Jamie Robbins, Joe Fowler, Logan Jewell, Mason Kinder, Levi Tryon, Clayton Kemp, Brandon Grinde, Justin Shull, Lucas Tanner, Colby Greene, Keshawn Blevins, Marcus Bramlett, Keaton Trout, John Nuckolls, Brayden Matty, Luke Wheeler, James Oliver, Alvest Prince, Ronnie Terrell, Kurt Lutz, Harley Jordan, John Miller, David Halcom, Duey Beirman, Brody Hausmann, Mason Stewart, Kenneth Holland, Clayton Grigg, Louie Langley, Blake Odom, Brett Manes, Devin Thompson, Richard Johnson, Troy Powell, Dylan Youngblood, Dalton Medlock, Steven Dolloff, Zach Ford, Joshua Gaither, Frankie Garcia, Brodie McDaniel, Tony Jeffries, Kaleb Moore, Cole Henniger, Ethan Heerdink and Kylan Sutton.
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas comprise 17 electric distribution cooperatives; Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based cooperative that provides services to the distribution cooperatives; and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC), a generation and transmission cooperative. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to approximately 1.2 million members, or customers, in Arkansas and surrounding states.