GRANT COUNTY, Ark. – Multiple thousand around the state are still waiting for their lights to turn back on as power outages continue to have its impact following this week’s ice storm.

C&L Electric Cooperative of Star City provides power to about 21 thousand customers in Bradley, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln counties in southern Arkansas. Approximately 16,000 of the cooperative’s accounts are without service due to the ice storm.

They said 16 out of their 21 thousand customers are still without power and southern counties in the state such as Jefferson, Lincoln and Grant County are seeing the most outages.

Rob Roedell with Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas says, “this area was hit very hard. It’s probably the epicenter of this storm.”

Just outside of Sheridan along Highway 165, crew from Ozark, Arkansas help restore power in Grant County.

As of Thursday evening, Roedell reported 2,500 power outages in Grant County.

Roedell says they have 125 crew helping across the state. 

As the ice loses the battle with the sunshine, Roedel says the melting ice is causing some hassles for workers, but the warmer temperatures are helping. 

There’s no exact time when all the power will be back on. 

“People down in this area down in south Arkansas should prepare for a multiple day event,” Roedel said.