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LITTLE
ROCK, Arkansas (AP) -- There's a high-wire act going on
over Arkansas, cold and cranky after the second ice storm
of the month plunged much of the state into darkness.
Utility
crews from as far away as Delaware and Michigan are climbing
poles, hacking at tree limbs and wrestling 13,800-volt power
lines in freezing cold to reconnect thousands of people
who have been suffering since a Christmas Day storm.
More
than 300,000 homes and businesses lost power in Arkansas.
The nearly 8,000 linemen on the job are not expected to
finish hooking everybody back up until next weekend.
"There's
some parts you can't get into," said Detroit Edison
employee Bob Barrette. "You have to wait for the sun
to melt the ice."
Entergy
Arkansas summoned linemen from 23 states to help it repair
lines. Caravans of utility trucks reading Detroit Edison
or HP&L (for Houston Power and Light) have become a
common sight, along with tree-trimming trucks, chain saws
and wood chippers.
Many
of the utility workers were in Arkansas two weeks ago, helping
restore power after a December 12-13 ice storm that left
some people without power for 10 days. After going home
for two days over Christmas, many of the workers were called
back.
With
the city beginning to return to life below them, Paul Kosmicki
and Cecil Thomas of Detroit Edison worked to replace a burned-out
13,800-volt power line that left a senior citizens' apartment
complex dark.
Thomas
used a hammer to break the ice on the wire and cut the damaged
line, then attached a new line and used a pole to connect
the switches and turn the power back on.
Entergy
Arkansas lineman Lonnie Cook said the customers around Little
Rock seem more easygoing with the second round of outages.
As drivers shouted, "Thanks!" and honked, Cook
said, "Last time, people were really upset. Now they're
happy to see us."
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