FORT DAVIS, Texas, April. 13, 2011 – AEP Texas crews are nearing completion of electric service restoration activities to areas impacted by wildfires in west Texas.   As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, 135 customers remained without power in Jeff Davis County, with most of those customers in the Fort Davis area.  AEP Texas anticipates having restored power on Thursday to all customers who can take electric service.
 
Crews have restored service to over 90 percent of customers who lost power as a result of the fires, well in advance of the time projected for reaching that milestone in the restoration effort.  However, many of the remaining outages are scattered throughout the Fort Davis area with others in the Espey Wells and Ponder Kennedy area.  By the end of today, AEP Texas distribution crews also hope to replace the remaining 66 distribution poles damaged by the fire.
 
Transmission crews on Tuesday evening completed repairs on the Alpine to Barrilla Junction transmission line and today will repair the Alpine to Fort Stockton transmission line.    Replacement of two transmission structures on that line will require special equipment to dig through the rocky terrain.
     
Over 2,100 customers lost electric service for varying amounts of time as a result of the wildfires, which began Saturday afternoon north of Marfa.   The fires damaged 145 distribution poles and 59 transmission structures.
 
To report an outage or downed power line, please call (866) 223-8508.  Please consider any downed power lines extremely dangerous.  Customers are reminded that restoration of service may be delayed if the fire damaged the electric connection to the home or facility.   
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