Thunderstorms knock out power to 4,500 customers

COLDSPRING – The spring thunderstorms that rumbled through East Texas Monday morning knocked out power to 4,500 Sam Houston Electric Cooperative members. According to dispatch supervisor, Bob Wilson, most of the damage was caused by high winds and falling trees, and was predominately on the east side of the Cooperative’s service territory, which includes Polk, Tyler, Hardin and Liberty Counties. The Cooperative’s line crews were already in the field when the storms arrived, so restoration work began immediately. By 2 p.m. power had been restored to 3,300 members. In order to reduce power outages related to dead trees, Sam Houston EC has undertaken a program in recent months to take down trees that died as a result of last year’s drought, beetle infestations and other stress factors. The dead tree program will continue through the next several months in hopes of minimizing power outages during thunderstorm season. Sam Houston EC received its charter May 16, 1939, and has been providing electricity to East Texas ever since. The Cooperative was founded by a handful of farmers and rural residents who dreamed of bringing “power to the people.” In the early 1940s, there were just over 600 Co-op members. Today, Sam Houston EC serves 51,000 members and 68,000 meters across parts of 10 counties