New electric buses lower operating costs by 75 percent in Shreveport, Louisiana

By Dinero Washington, CEO Shreveport Area Transit System (SporTran)

On Nov. 11, 2017, five battery-electric buses almost silently hit the streets of Shreveport, La., the third-largest city in the state, joining a fleet of nearly 50 older diesel-powered buses and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses serving a population of 200,000. As CEO of the city’s public transit system, it was a big day for me and my team. Our mission was to seek innovative, fuel- and cost-efficient solutions for public transportation. Would an investment in electric buses make a difference?

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SWEPCO grants aid Texarkana teachers in the classroom

Texarkana, Texas July 11, 2019 – AEP Teacher Vision Grants from Southwestern Electric Power Co. (SWEPCO) will enable several Southwest Arkansas teachers to improve student learning in the classroom.

Four Texarkana teachers and one Queen City teacher each received a grant ranging from $219 to $500 for a classroom project.

“We are grateful for the generosity of AEP SWEPCO for giving us resources to expand our students’ understanding of the natural world around them,” said Nathan Upchurch, a science teacher at Texas High School in Texarkana who will use his $500 grant to purchase a Meade Coronado Personal Solar Telescope. “Students will use the solar telescope to see in real time a very active star with prominences, flares and ejections.”

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Powering through summer storms: What you need to know

Summer storms are unpredictable and can happen in a flash.

When storms damage power lines, our crews work hard to get your power back on. Here’s what you need to know to help you stay safe, prepared and connected:

Assemble a kit. Get in front of storms by putting together an emergency preparedness kit that includes (at minimum) non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, batteries, a battery-powered radio, a first aid kit, any necessary medications, extra cash and maps of your area.

Plan ahead. Develop a disaster plan for you and your family. Decide now what you’ll do if there’s an extended power outage. Also, contact family, friends and neighbors who are elderly or have medical conditions.

Be informed. Check your local forecasts on a daily basis and, if you’re away from home, know your exact location so you can easily track weather reports in your area.

Stay connected. Download the SWEPCO mobile app to report outages and stay up-to-date on restoration efforts. For the latest restoration info, visit SWEPCO.com/Outages or follow SWEPCO on Facebook and Twitter.

Stay away, stay alive. Remember, all downed lines are dangerous — they carry an electric current that can cause serious or even fatal injuries. If you encounter a fallen wire, keep yourself and others far away, and call 911 and SWEPCO immediately. Click here to learn what to do if power lines land on your car.

Since SWEPCO bought Valley: Rates down, service up, jobs saved

By Brian Bond, SWEPCO Vice President, External Affairs

A few weeks ago, a friend who was a customer of the former Valley Electric Cooperative peppered me with questions about Southwestern Electric Power Co. We discussed everything from investments SWEPCO has made in the Valley power grid to our rates. Perhaps, you have the same questions. SWEPCO acquired Valley Electric in 2010. Since then, we’ve invested $91 million in the power grid that delivers energy to former Valley members.

We’ve trimmed trees along 2,100 miles of power lines and replaced old power poles. We’ve built digital maps of the Valley power grid and installed high-tech monitoring equipment. These and other improvements help our linemen work safely and restore power faster.

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Experience magic of science for FREE at SWEPCO’s Sunday Funday on July 28

Experience the magic of musical Tesla Coils at Southwestern Electric Power Co.’s Sunday Funday on July 28 at Discovery Place Interactive Museum in Texarkana.

The museum’s 1 million-volt dual Tesla Coils create a musical masterpiece of sight and sound that attracts visitors from across the region.  Admission to the show and other museum exhibits is free from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. July 28 as part of SWEPCO’s exhibit sponsorship.

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Department of Energy awards 5 SWEPCO contractors with Century Club Award

A group photo from the 2019 Century Club Award Luncheon.

On May 22, SWEPCO co-hosted a luncheon with Black Hills Energy to present five Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractors with the 2019 U.S. Department of Energy Century Club Award. Each of these contractors improved the energy efficiency of more than 100 homes of SWEPCO Arkansas customers in 2018.

The 2019 recipients are:

  1. National Energy Conservation Services, a SWEPCO contractor since 2013
  2. Energy Misers, Inc., a SWEPCO contractor since 2014
  3. Evans Go Green, a SWEPCO contractor since 2014
  4. e3 solutions, a SWEPCO contractor since 2015
  5. D&A Conservation, a SWEPCO contractor since 2016
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