Grid infrastructureUnited StatesEIR-1121

Substation fire interrupts supply in Arkansas

2019Published 20 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantElectrical

Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?

supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate

From the recordRoot cause

Where: Southland Substation on Pebblecreek Drive off Sheid-Hopper Bypass
Operator: North Arkansas Electric Cooperative
What: Fire caused outage affecting 1,153 members
Cause: Suspected lightning
Outcome: Power restored with mobile unit after several hours

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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): North Arkansas Electric Cooperative

What happened

A fire at the Southland Substation on Pebblecreek Drive off the Sheid-Hopper Bypass caused an outage affecting 1,153 members served by North Arkansas Electric Cooperative. Power was restored around 12:45 a.m. on Saturday using a mobile substation unit supplied by Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation. The outage had begun in the early morning hours on Friday. The cooperative will rebuild the substation over several months while the mobile unit remains in service.

Contributing factors

The suspected cause is lightning.

Lessons learned

Lightning can start a fire in a substation, so operators should inspect and upgrade lightning protection on all exposed equipment.
A substation fire can leave members without power for hours, so maintain access to mobile substation units for quick restoration.
Major substation damage requires months of rebuild work, so plan for prolonged use of temporary supply equipment.

More lessons on weather and external hazards, outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

Exact cause of the fire
Substation equipment model and age
Cost of the rebuild and outage

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Source

ky3.com

Published 2026-09-20. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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