EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (April 1, 2023)- Xcel Energy thanks its customers for their patience as crews continue to assess damage and work to safely restore power to customers after a storm with rain, snow and heavy wind swept across western Wisconsin and Minnesota last night. The weather created widespread outages and damage to trees, poles and power lines.
Of the approximately 280,000 customers who were impacted, power has now been restored to 123,000 customers and about 37,000 remain without power this afternoon, with most outages happening in the Minneapolis metro area. Under 2,000 remain without power in the Hudson/Amery area of western Wisconsin. We anticipate that work to restore power to some customers will continue into Sunday and possibly Monday, given significant damage and challenging conditions. Visit xcelenergy.com/outages_and_emergencies up to date outage information.
Nearly a thousand employees and contractors are in the field working to restore power, coming from 10 different states.
When it comes to restoring power, top priority is given to situations that threaten public safety, such as live downed wires. Repair priority is based on what will restore power to the largest number of customers most quickly, such as transmission lines or feeder lines that serve large amounts of customers.
Additional tips for customers:
- Stay away from downed power lines. Always assume an electric line, even one that is on or near the ground, is energized and therefore dangerous. Never, under any circumstance, touch or move a downed power line. If you come across a downed power line, leave the area and report it immediately by calling1-800-895-1999.
- Stay informed. When outages occur, customers can access to the most recent updates about their power restoration by using the My Xcel Energy mobile app or visiting the Xcel Energy website. The website hosts an outage map that displays information on the number of customers out and anticipated time for restoration when available. Customers can also stay informed by following Xcel Energy onFacebook and Twitter.
- Check for mast damage. Customers who are experiencing outages should check for damage to their mast, which is the electric service connection to their home. If a mast is damaged, a licensed electrician must make repairs and it must be inspected before service can be restored. More information can be found at xcelenergy.com/outages_and_emergencies/mast_damage.
- Natural gas meter safety. Xcel Energy strongly recommends keeping your natural gas meter clear by gently removing snow or ice from around and on the meter, associated piping and the roofline above. Icy build-up can dangerously interfere with the flow of natural gas to and from your meter, and accumulated snow can prevent the meter from operating properly by stopping the flow of natural gas. A snow-covered meter could also lead to a loss of service and freezing of inside pipes as a result of lost heat. Customers should also clear a path to their gas meter to allow quick access in case of an emergency.
