News Archive

We currently have 293 members without power from Dora, Vanzant and West Plains. Dispatch is aware of the outages and crews have been dispatched. Always stay away from downed power lines. Thank you for your patience as we work through these outages due to the storms.

April 20-24 is Work Zone Awareness Week. Let's work together to prioritize safety on the roads, especially for roadside utility and construction crews.

Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative will be closed on Friday, April 3rd, in observance of Good Friday. Dispatch will be available for outages and emergencies by calling 417-256-2131. Or you can submit outage reports with no waiting on the SmartHub mobile app or through the SmartHub link at the top of this website. Have a safe and happy Easter weekend!

HOEC will host its 87th Annual Meeting at West Plains Civic Center on Friday, May 1, 2026. The office will close at 1:00 pm. The Civic Center doors will open at 4:30 pm with food, entertainment, displays, attendance gifts and prizes, and the Kids Zone. The May issue of Rural Missouri has your Registration Card to register for prizes. Haven't received your May issue yet? Just bring your Account Number from a recent billing statement. You must be present to win.

Rooted deep in the Ozarks and grounded in faith, friendship, and fine musicianship, Stringed Union is a Missouri bluegrass band devoted to preserving and sharing the heart of bluegrass gospel music.

Backfeed on power lines typically occurs when generators and solar panels are used or installed incorrectly. Backfeed is dangerous; it can electrocute a lineman working on the power line. You can help prevent backfeed by hiring a qualified electrician to install standby generators and solar panel systems.

If you notice dimming or flickering lights, get your home's wiring checked by a professional. It could be a sign of a dangerous issue.