Largest Mutual Aid Response In 30 Years

Additional crews coming to assist with internet restoration

(9:00 p.m. February 2, 2026 – Centerville, TN)- Monday brought significant progress for power restoration across Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties with fewer than 200 members remaining without electric service following Winter Storm Fern.

Outages in Hickman and Lewis counties are now largely limited to isolated, individual locations and properties where homeowners must complete repairs before power can be safely restored.

Perry County has approximately 120 members without power primarily in the Old Highway 20 area. Additional single-location outages remain scattered throughout the county due to damaged poles and individual services.

MLEC crews, alongside mutual aid, will continue pushing hard in all three counties to restore the remaining outages. Crews will also focus on cleanup efforts to stabilize the electric system and reduce the risk of future outages.

Members who are still without power are encouraged to contact their local district office to ensure their location is known, especially if repairs have already been completed.

Broadband Update:
MLConnect also made steady progress on Monday with approximately 940 broadband outages remaining due to storm damage. Most of these outages are located across Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties with fewer than 40 combined outages in Humphreys and Houston counties.

Additional fiber mutual aid crews arrived today with more expected tomorrow. Crews are prioritizing main fiber line breaks, which allows restoration to larger areas before moving into neighborhoods and individual service lines.

Members who have power but remain without broadband service are encouraged to unplug their router for several minutes and plug it back in. If service does not return, please report the outage by making a service ticket online or calling your local office.

Every remaining outage matters. MLEC and MLConnect remain committed to restoring all electric and broadband services safely and efficiently and will continue working until every member is fully restored.

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Crews focus on final repairs and individual services

(9:00 a.m. February 2, 2026 – Centerville, TN)- As reported last night, fewer than 500 members remain without power, and less than 1,100 members remain without broadband service across the Meriwether Lewis service area.

Electric crews are working on a wide range of tasks today across the counties still impacted by outages. Local and mutual aid crews are completing larger restoration areas while continuing work on smaller lines that serve less populated locations. Progress in these final stages is expected to be slow and steady as crews carefully work through remaining damage.

Hickman County: Old Possum Road, Joe’s Branch, Hassells Creek Lane, Sanders Road, Powder Mill Hollow, Minnow Branch, Charolais Lane, Blue Water, Coble, Smith Road, Old Mill Creek, Captain Spence Road, Cedar Crest Camp, and the Middle Lick Creek Road area.

Lewis County: South Park, Mill Street, Zimmerman Street, Allison, Swan Avenue, Summertown Highway, Barrier Road, Highway 20, Oakridge, Second Road, Howard’s Switch, Laurel Lane, Star Road, Stutts Road, Bowen Road, Switzerland Road, Smith Street, the end of Salem Road, Dry Branch, Curtis Lindsey Road, Northview, Pollock Cemetery Road, and Napier Lake Road.

Perry County: Cedar Creek Landing, Stanley Hinson Ridge, Toll Hollow, Highway 412, Coon Creek, Lobelville, Godwin Road, White Oak, and Buck Fork Hollow.

Depending on how power feeds into a specific location, work completed in one area may help restore service to nearby areas not listed above.

There are also numerous residences where homeowners have completed repairs and are ready to be reconnected. Crews will address these locations as conditions allow. However, the list is extensive and will take several days to complete. If a weatherhead is damaged, a licensed electrician must make repairs before MLEC can restore power. Additional information is available on MLEC’s website and Facebook page.

Members still without power are encouraged to contact their local district office to ensure the cooperative is aware of isolated locations that may not have been restored following main line repairs.

Broadband Update:
MLConnect crews are actively working on broadband outages across all five counties. Like the electric system, the fiber network sustained significant storm damage, including broken mainline fiber, service lines, and individual drops. Mutual aid fiber crews are assisting with additional support as power is restored to more areas.

If electric service has been restored but broadband has not, members are encouraged to unplug their router for several minutes and plug it back in. If service does not return, please report the outage by making a service ticket online or calling your local office. A more detailed broadband update will be shared later today.

Every outage matters to MLEC and MLConnect. We remain committed to restoring electrical and broadband service as safely and efficiently as possible and will continue working daily until all members are fully restored.

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MLEC focused on remaining power and fiber repairs

(9:00 p.m. February 1, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – As of this evening, about 500 remain without power. Hickman County has 160 outages, Perry County has 250, and Lewis County has fewer than 100. Restoration progress today is the result of a true collective effort by our employees, mutual aid crews, local communities, and partner agencies working together.

Broadband Update:
Our team has been actively working on broadband outages this week across all five MLEC counties. MLConnect has fewer than 1,100 broadband outages, including approximately 400 in Lewis County, 330 in Hickman County, 300 in Perry County, 50 in Humphreys County, and one subscriber in Houston County.

Like the electric system, the fiber network experienced significant storm damage, and repairs take time. Additional fiber crews are assisting, with more support arriving as power is restored to additional areas. A more detailed fiber update will be shared Monday.

We will continue working daily until broadband and electric service is fully restored to all members.

Please note that Hickman, Lewis and Perry County offices will be closed tomorrow. Humphreys and Houston County offices will operate on a normal schedule.

We appreciate the continued patience and support from our members as restoration work continues.

Fewer than 1,300 members remain without power

(9:00 a.m. February 1, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – Meriwether Lewis crews are entering day eight of restoration efforts with the same urgency and commitment shown since the first outages occurred. Work will continue daily until electric and broadband service is fully restored.

As of this morning, fewer than 1,300 members remain without power across Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties. Crews are actively repairing main lines as well as lines serving smaller sections of the system with some individual services also being addressed.

MLEC expects to restore power to all members in three to four days. Some areas are still inaccessible due to storm debris, so right-of-way crews are working to clear the paths so lineworkers can safely reach these locations.

The following are some of the areas where crews will be working today:

Hickman County: Dog Creek, Mayberry Hollow, Willow Springs, parts of Cavenders Branch, Capps Ridge, Sulphur Creek, Wright Prong, Blue Buck, Sheboss, Beaver Creek, Highway 48 North, Pinewood Road, Pretty Creek, Old Highway 50 Loop, Bruce McCaleb Road, Willie’s Branch, South Tatum Creek, Captain Spence, and McAdoo. Crews are also working in Blackwell Hollow, where restoration will take additional time due to significant damage. Several individual service locations are also being addressed.

Lewis County: Colonial Road, Marvin Whitehead Road, Wildcat Road, Centerville Highway at Dorning Road, Seiber Ridge near Topsy, Cabin Road, Kro Hollow, Gandy Road, Couch Road, McCord Hollow Road, Till Road, McClearen Hollow Road, Depriest Branch, Edwards Road, Tablerock, and various individual service locations.

Perry County: Sinking Creek, Rockhouse, Lick Creek, White Oak, Mud Spring Hollow, Toad Hollow, Pleasantville, Upper Brush Creek, and Stephenstown. Right-of-way crews are also clearing access to parts of the Old Highway 20 area to allow restoration work to continue. Several individual service locations remain a focus.

Broadband Update

Fewer than 1,400 members remain without broadband service. Hohenwald accounts for the largest number of outages at approximately 450, with Hickman and Perry counties close behind at around 400 each. Mutual aid crews are assisting with fiber repairs, and additional support is arriving as power is restored to more areas.

MLEC appreciates the continued patience and cooperation of its members as crews work through the final stages of restoration following Winter Storm Fern.

We will share a progress update at 9:00 p.m. this evening.

Historical responses from region and state make work possible

(9:00 p.m. January 31, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – Meriwether Lewis employees and mutual aid workers have completed another successful day of progress. As of this update, approximately 1,450 outages remain including:

• Hickman County: 450
• Lewis County: 400
• Perry County: 600

We are extremely grateful to those who answered our call for need and have worked with our local employees to make this winter storm response possible. The significant progress we have made would not be possible without the following mutual aid partners:

• Jackson Purchase RECC – Kentucky
• West Kentucky RECC – Kentucky
• Pennyrile Electric Cooperative – Kentucky
• Trees LLC – Tennessee
• RW Tree Service – Columbia, Tennessee
• High Forest Tree Service – Hohenwald, Tennessee
• Service Electric Company – Tennessee
• Holston Electric Cooperative – Tennessee
• Southwest Tennessee EMC – Tennessee
• North Georgia EMC – Georgia
• Gibson Connect – Tennessee

Fiber crews also remain actively engaged and are focused on repairing damaged main fiber lines while restoring individual services as conditions allow. These repairs are complex and time-consuming, but steady progress continues.

While great strides have been made, the work is not complete until every single member has power and broadband. MLEC appreciates the patience, encouragement, and support shown by members and communities throughout this restoration effort.

An additional update will be shared as work continues tomorrow.                                                                                                 ####

MLEC shares work locations as power and broadband repairs continue

(9:00 a.m. January 31, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – Meriwether Lewis crews are off and running this morning. Across the service area, there are 2,500 power outages and about 2,100 broadband outages. Crews and mutual aid partners enter day seven of restoration efforts making steady progress.

Repairing main lines remains the primary focus. At the same time, crews are beginning to target more isolated outages as conditions allow. These repairs often take additional time, particularly in frigid temperatures and hard-to-reach, rural locations. Ice and fallen trees continue to limit access in some areas, but crews are clearing debris so lineworkers can safely restore service.

Crews will be working in the following areas today:

Hickman County: Brandy Drive, Old Twomey Road, Sugar Creek, Prince Road, Sunrise, Old Swan, Wesley Ridge, Hassells Creek toward Primm Springs, Sulphur Creek area, Sheboss, Nine Mile Ridge, Word Road, Scotts Branch, Wolf Creek Road, Mathis Loop, Coble to Only, Whitson Bend, Trace Creek, Camp Meribah area, McFarlin Road, Davis Branch, and multiple single-service locations.

Lewis County: Indian Creek, Ottis Hinson Road, Dry Branch, Waynesboro Highway, Sweetwater, Topsy, Lower Trace Creek, Mt. Joy, Patton Road, Rockdale Trace, Napier Road/Pine Bluff area, Allens Creek, Gaither Hinson Road, Colonial Road, Rush Branch, Wildcat, Heaven Hills, Duchess Lane, Morris Road, and multiple single-service locations.

Perry County: Flatwoods, Swindle, Woods Prong, Mt. Olive, upper Pleasantville, North Fork, Lick Creek, Sinking Creek, Rockhouse, Hurricane Creek, Marsh Creek, Upper Brush Creek, and multiple single-service locations.

MLConnect Broadband Update:

Additional fiber repair crews are working in the service area, with more assistance arriving to support broadband restoration efforts. If your power has been restored but broadband service has not, please try unplugging your router from its power source for several minutes, then plug it back in. If service does not return, report the outage by calling your local office and selecting Option 3, then Option 2 for direct technical support, or submit a ticket online if you have enough service to do so.

Like power, repairs to damaged mainline fiber and equipment must be completed first, which often restores service to homes where the service drop was not affected. This may explain why nearby neighbors have service while others do not. All damaged service drops will be repaired, but this process requires time and must be completed safely, one location at a time.

We understand there are members still waiting in other areas for power and broadband repairs. Please know crews are aware of outages throughout the system and will continue working as quickly and safely as conditions allow.

Additional updates will be shared as restoration efforts continue at 4:00 p.m.

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Crews conclude day six and prepare for continued work this weekend

(9:00 p.m. January 30, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – As we enter the weekend, Meriwether Lewis wants to assure members that restoration efforts will continue. MLEC crews and mutual aid partners will remain in the field, working long hours to restore electric and broadband service as safely and quickly as possible.

As of this update, approximately 2600 members remain without power. This includes 800 in Hickman County, 800 in Lewis County and 1000 in Perry County. Broadband restoration has also made progress with about 2,100 outages.

Repairing main lines remains the primary focus as more damaged areas become accessible. At the same time, some isolated outages are also being targeted as conditions improve. However, these cases may take additional time, especially in frigid temperatures. There are still several locations that are very hard to reach due to ice, fallen trees and the rural environment.

MLEC appreciates the continued patience, resilience, and support of our members. The efforts made by mutual aid crews, local emergency responders, road departments, volunteers, churches, and community partners have helped make this progress possible.

An additional update with Saturday work locations will be shared at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.

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Crews focusing on main lines and hard-to-reach areas

(9:00 a.m. January 30, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – Crews are off and running this morning as Meriwether Lewis enters day six of restoration efforts following Winter Storm Fern. What began with more than 13,000 outages has now been reduced to under 5,000 thanks to steady progress and the continued support of mutual aid crews. Approximately 4,700 members remain without power across Hickman, Lewis, and Perry counties.

Nearly 200 additional personnel are assisting MLEC crews today as restoration continues. Significant progress has been made on main lines, but additional work remains. Crews are still prioritizing these main lines while also pushing deeper into communities where access has improved. Areas where crews will be concentrated to start today include:

Hickman County: Swan, Raleigh’s Chapel, Ugly Creek, Wade’s Branch, Totty’s Bend, Coble, Lowe’s Bend, Wolf Creek, Flowers Lane, Mason Bates Road, Dodd Hollow, Easley Bend, Paul Fields Road, Baker Lane, Rial Road, West Sugar Creek, Glenn Hinson Road, Bells Branch, McFarlin Road, Davis Branch, Locust Creek, East Haley’s Creek Road, Country Lane, Mobley Ridge, and Sheboss. Isolated individual services will also be addressed where possible.

Lewis County: Piney, Napier Road, areas beyond NACO, Railroad Bed, Summertown Highway, Rockdale Trace, Rackley Road, The Farm area, Certified Drive, Woodland Road, Trace Creek off Waynesboro Highway, Ridge Top, Mt. Joy, parts of Big Swan, Goodman Branch, Ponderosa Drive, Roney Street, Mercury Street, Joe Avenue, Borum Avenue, and Kappler Lane. Crews will also reach isolated individual services as access allows.

Perry County: Pleasantville, Sugar Hill, Rockhouse, Sinking Creek, Upper and Lower Marsh Creek, Red Bank, Old Highway 20, and Hurricane Creek. The White Oak, Cedar Creek, Jones Hollow, and Burns Ridge areas remain significantly damaged, with portions still unreachable. Multiple power and right-of-way crews are working in those areas again today.

MLEC sincerely thanks our crews and mutual aid partners, who continue working together to support our members. This progress has been made possible through the combined efforts of local road departments, emergency responders, and community members helping clear debris.

We also thank local churches and volunteers for keeping our community fed, warm and safe. This restoration effort remains a true community response, and every clear road and repaired line brings us one step closer.

An additional update will be shared at 4:00 p.m. Friday as work continues

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Crews conclude day five making progress in Hickman, Lewis and Perry

(9:00 p.m. January 29, 2026 – Centerville, TN) – After another long day of restoration efforts by Meriwether Lewis crews, less than 5,000 outages remain across the service area. This includes 1,900 in Perry County, 1,500 in Lewis County and 1,300 in Hickman County.

We are getting closer, but the job is not done, and crews will continue working hard until every member has power restored. Steady progress is being made. Widespread tree damage remains across the system, and restoration continues to require careful, step-by-step repairs to main lines before crews can move into smaller areas.

“No one here is standing still,” said President and CEO Keith Carnahan. “Our crews are working dawn to dark in dangerous conditions every day. Each repair brings us one step closer, and crews will be back at it early again tomorrow to keep that momentum going.”

This remains a true community effort. Our crews, mutual aid partners, local emergency responders, county and city governments, churches, and volunteers are working together to support our members and keep communities safe.

Thank you for your continued patience and support as restoration efforts continue. We will touch base again with our membership at 9:00 a.m. Friday.

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Through every curve and country road, there are no strangers in this effort

Meriwether Lewis crews are working alongside more than 200 additional personnel, marking the largest mutual aid response the cooperative has received in over 30 years. This level of support speaks to the scale of the widespread and severe damage across our entire service area.

We are incredibly grateful for the linemen and support crews working long hours in difficult conditions. They are from Service Electric, Trees, Inc. Holston Electric Cooperative, North Georgia Electric Membership Corporation, Southwest Electric Membership Corporation, Jackson Purchase Energy Cooperative and West KY Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation. We also thank our local EMA offices, county and city governments, TDOT, road departments, churches, and volunteers who are helping clear roads and keep our communities safe.

Through every curve and country road, there are no strangers in this effort. This is a true community response, and we are all in this together. We will provide a progress update at 9:00 p.m. this evening.