Missouri Electric CO-OP Lineworkers Traveling to Louisiana

Hurricane Ida left a trail of damage and destruction along the Gulf Coast following its landfall on Sunday. In response, Missouri's electric cooperatives have mobilized to answer a call for help. At the request of DEMCO Electric Cooperative, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, more than 150 Missouri lineworkers from 30 of the state's electric cooperatives are traveling to Louisiana to assist in the cleanup. Missouri is sending both construction and service crews to help with the power restoration efforts at the co-op just east of Baton Rouge. Most of Missouri's crews are leaving early Tuesday morning to help with the restoration efforts.

DEMCO is the largest electric cooperative in Louisiana, serving more than 112,000 members. As of Monday morning, more than 77,000 DEMCO members, 68%, were without electricity.

Missouri's electric cooperatives have a long history of lending a helping hand to its cooperative peers in trying times. Missouri crews first helped with hurricane relief efforts in 2004 when the Gulf Coast was hit by Hurricane Ivan and have been doing so since. Their most recent deployments were in 2020 when crews traveled to Louisiana twice for hurricanes Delta and Zeta.

The favor has been returned, as Missouri co-ops received assistance restoring power following devastating ice storms in 2007 and 2009.

Missouri's restoration efforts are being spearheaded by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. The Jefferson City-based association represents all 47 of Missouri's electric cooperatives.

Missouri electric cooperatives sending help:

Barry Electric Cooperative, Cassville

Barton Electric Cooperative, Lamar

Black River Electric Cooperative, Fredericktown

Boone Electric Cooperative, Columbia

Callaway Electric Cooperative, Fulton

Central Missouri Electric Cooperative, Sedalia

Co-Mo Electric Cooperative, Tipton

Consolidated Electric Cooperative, Mexico

Crawford Electric Cooperative, Bourbon

Cuivre River Electric Cooperative, Troy

Farmers' Electric Cooperative, Chillicothe

Gascosage Electric Cooperative, Dixon

Grundy Electric Cooperative, Trenton

Laclede Electric Cooperative, Lebanon

Lewis County Rural Electric Cooperative, Lewistown

Macon Electric Cooperative, Macon

Osage Valley Electric Cooperative, Butler

Ozark Electric Cooperative, Mt. Vernon

Ozark Border Electric Cooperative, Poplar Bluff

Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative, Hayti

Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, Kearney

Ralls County Electric Cooperative, New London

Sac Osage Electric Cooperative, El Dorado Springs

SEMO Electric Cooperative, Sikeston

Southwest Electric Cooperative, Bolivar

Three Rivers Electric Cooperative, Linn

Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Lancaster

United Electric Cooperative, Maryville

Webster Electric Cooperative, Marshfield

West Central Electric Cooperative, Higginsville

White River Valley Electric Cooperative, Branson