Over 50k residents in North Texas still without power after storms
NORTH TEXAS — The storms have passed, for now, but as of Friday afternoon, some 50,000 people in North Texas are still without power.
Oncor says it's teams have been working 24/7 to get power fully restored since electricity got wiped out Tuesday from storms that brought heavy rains, winds and flooding. The initial storm knocked out electricity to more than 650,000 homes and businesses in north-central and eastern Texas. So far, crews have been able to restore power for about 600,000.
About 12,000 crews have been dispatched to help with these power outages, according to Oncor. Utility partners in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and Virginia have joined in the efforts.
Power in some of the hardest-hit areas, like North Dallas, East Dallas and Mesquite, will take longer to be restored. Oncor set that expectation early on.
In a statement, the company said: "Remaining outages are among the most complex and time-consuming. They often require the reconstruction of distribution equipment and replacement of utility poles and transformers. While significant progress has been made, Oncor recognizes the frustration and challenges faced by customers who are still without power and appreciates their patience. Our teams are working day and night until all customer outages are restored."
In the meantime, Oncor suggests those without examine their home electrical equipment such as the meter base and/or weatherhead, to make sure they aren't damaged. If they are, "an electrician will need to make repairs and a city inspection may be required before power can be safely restored."
