(PINEVILLE)---Some nine CLECO employees stationed in the Covington and Slidell areas will be heading to Texas soon to help restore electric power to those victims of Hurricane Dolly near South Padre Island, according to CLECO officials.

In all, some 210,000 customers in the Rio Grande Valley and 35 percent of the customers in San Benito are without power since Hurricane Dolly pushed through the AEP Texas service area on Wednesday, July 23.

CLECO officials say that 42 workers will be departing from Crowley on Friday, July 25, and should arrive in San Benito, 35 miles from South Padre Island, on Saturday evening, July 26.

"We've been on the receiving end of needing assistance following storms and are always willing to lend a hand to other utilities," said Floyd Pittman, CLECO's mutual assistance coordinator. "We feel for the communities and companies affected and will help in any way we can. Our guys will work just as hard for AEP's customers as they would for our customers."

The Northshore contingent is the second largest CLECO group heading to Texas. There will be 10 employees heading west from the New Iberia, Patterson, and Franklin areas.

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