Okla.’s electric co-ops send mutual crews to assist Mississippi following Winter Storm Fern
UPDATE – January 31, 2026
On January 31, 12 additional lineworkers from Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives have left to assist Tallahatchi Valley Electric Power Association in Mississippi with ongoing restoration efforts following historic Winter Storm Fern. Two more lineworkers will leave on Monday, February 2. Collectively Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives have 98 lineworkers lending a hand in Mississippi representing 13 co-ops.
These additional crews have been dispatched:
- Alfalfa Electric Cooperative, Cherokee
- Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative, Seminole
- East Central Electric Cooperative, Okmulgee
- People’s Electric Cooperative, Ada (departing on Feb. 2, 2026)
Nearly one week after the storm, there are more than 15,000 members affected by outages at the co-op. Around-the-clock restoration efforts continue until power has been restored for every member.
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Original News Release – January 28, 2026
Eleven electric cooperatives in Oklahoma are collectively sending 84 linemen to assist Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association following devastating damage from Winter Storm Fern. The co-op serves 27,000 meters across nine rural counties in northern Mississippi.
Winter Storm Fern swept across more than 30 states, bringing snow, ice, sleet, and freezing rain that knocked out power to over 1 million consumers at the storm’s peak. In Mississippi, roughly 160,000 electric cooperative members were left without electricity as heavy ice crippled the system—snapping power lines and poles and sending trees crashing onto wires.
Nationwide, electric cooperatives from more than 20 states are providing mutual aid assistance to impacted co-ops, according to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Crews from Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives left on January 28 and are expected to lend a hand for as long as needed with rotating crews.
Crews from the following electric cooperatives have dispatched mutual aid:
- Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative, Seminole
- Central Rural Electric Cooperative, Stillwater
- CKenergy Electric Cooperative, Binger
- Cotton Electric Cooperative, Walters
- Indian Electric Cooperative, Cleveland
- Kay Electric Cooperative, Blackwell
- Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Hulbert
- Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, Vinita
- Ozarks Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, serving meters in Oklahoma
- People’s Electric Cooperative, Ada
- TCEC, Hooker
“Our thoughts are with our sister cooperatives in Mississippi and all states affected by this devastating storm. Cooperation among cooperatives is a guiding principle of our network, and we are honored to stand alongside our fellow co-ops in this critical effort,” said Nicki Fuller, general manager of the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives. “We commend our lineworkers for selflessly leaving their homes to support rural communities in Mississippi during this difficult time, and we wish them a safe journey and a safe restoration process.”
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About OAEC: The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives (OAEC) is a statewide association created and voluntarily supported by local electric distribution and generation & transmission cooperatives. OAEC is comprised of 30 member systems: 27 distribution electric cooperatives (two of which are headquartered in Arkansas) and 3 generation & transmission electric cooperatives (one of which is headquartered in Texas). Learn more at oaec.coop
Media Contact:
Anna Politano, Director of Public Relations & Communications, Okla. Assn. of Electric Co-ops
Phone: 405-761-0289
E-mail: apolitano@oaec.coop