MidAmerican crews move to Louisiana to help restore power after Winter Storm Fern

Line crews left Oklahoma after that area spared from worst impacts

DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 26, 2026) - MidAmerican Energy line crews and support staff traveled from southern Oklahoma to northwest Louisiana Sunday night to help restore power after Winter Storm Fern caused heavy damage across the region. Thirty-six MidAmerican employees are now in the Shreveport area to assist Southwestern Electric Power Company. At the height of the storm, nearly 69,000 SWEPCO customers in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas lost power due to ice, snow and strong winds, according to SWEPCO. MidAmerican crews originally went to Ardmore, Oklahoma, on Friday to help OG&E prepare for the storm. When the weather shifted and Oklahoma avoided the worst conditions, OG&E released the crews, and SWEPCO asked for help in Louisiana. "We're grateful that southern Oklahoma was spared the worst of the storm," said Nick Nation, MidAmerican senior vice president of delivery. "But other communities were hit hard, and our crews were nearby and ready to respond. They're now working in northwest Louisiana to help restore power as quickly and safely as possible." MidAmerican is part of a nationwide mutual aid network that allows utilities to send crews to each other during major storms and emergencies. These partnerships help speed up restoration efforts when communities need it most.