Power back for Paulding Putnam members

VW independent staff/submitted information

PAULDING — Paulding Putnam has largely restored power to around 3,000 members following a powerful straight-line wind event that began Friday afternoon, March 13, and continued through Monday morning, March 16. The storm, which brought gusts up to 77 mph across Ohio, caused widespread damage — one of the toughest faced since 2012’s derecho.

Ohio electric cooperatives saw power outages climb over 83,000 by Friday night, and more are still without power at other utilities across the state.

At peak, there were 41 electric outages across Paulding Putnam’s seven-county service territory — from Allen County, Indiana, to Putnam County, Ohio. Roughly half of these outages stemmed from AEP transmission issues, notably impacting areas like Ottoville and Antwerp. Paulding Putnam crews documented 40–50 broken poles, countless downed trees, and even a transformer oil fire. Winds remained relentless over four days, making restoration challenging but never deterring the co-op’s commitment to safety and swift recovery.

Paulding Putnam’s small but dedicated team worked around the clock in rotating shifts, prioritizing safe, efficient repairs. Members saw linemen in action, but dispatchers also worked behind the scenes, managing outages, coordinating crews, and making decisions in a high-stress environment to ensure crews were safe. According to the co-op, “the top priority is making sure every employee and contractor goes home safe at the end of the day.”

Clean up and inspections will continue this week, and crews are ready for continued support if weather conditions worsen.

Paulding Putnam extends its deepest thanks to everyone who made this restoration possible, including:

• Mutual aid crews and contractors, including Frankart Power Line Services, Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative, and North Western Electric Cooperative.
• Local police, fire, and EMS personnel who managed traffic and responded to hazardous situations with professionalism and care.
• Community partners who kept our crews fueled and fed, especially Millie’s Cafe in Ottoville and the Schlatter Family. Your kindness meant the world during long, difficult hours.

“Thank you to all members for your extraordinary patience and understanding during this frustrating time,” said Randy Price, Paulding Putnam President and CEO. “We know power outages disrupt daily life, and we truly appreciate how our community came together with calm and support. While restoring power quickly is always our goal, safety comes first, and I’m incredibly proud of our team for working long hours in tough conditions without losing sight of that commitment.”

Paulding Putnam is a local electric and internet cooperative serving nearly 14,000 members in Paulding, Putnam, Defiance, Van Wert, and Allen counties in Ohio, and Adams and Allen counties in Indiana.