Oncor Still Working To Restore Power To 97,000+ Customers
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Powerful storms that blew through North Texas nearly 48 hours ago not only caused a deadly crane collapse in Dallas, but downed power lines that to date still have thousands of people in the dark.
As it stands, residents could have to wait nearly a week before their power is restored.
Officials with Oncor say it could be Friday before everyone's electricity is back on.
As of midday Tuesday, more than half of the outages have been restored leaving less than 98,000 people affected.
Oncor communications manager Grant Cruise said, "The system is very buoyant and can withstand a lot, but this kind of storm is something we haven't seen in years. So, we are working to get people [electric service] back on as quickly and safely as we can."
Oncor says hundreds of crews are working around-the-clock to get things back to normal. The energy company has even called in backup from other states to help speed up the repair and restoration process.
Winds exceeding 70 miles per hour in some areas knocked out power to nearly 350,000 homes and businesses Sunday afternoon.
The loss of power still has the East Dallas Government Center closed.
During an extended outage, customers are being advised to have a backup plan, and a place to stay while restorations are ongoing.
Customers are being asked to be patient, vigilant, and mindful of loved ones and neighbors who may be impacted by the power outages.