Update: Thousands Without Power Throughout Minnesota
Update: Minnesota Power crews have restored power to all customers in the Pike Lake area.
Update: Crews are working to restore power to about 650 customers in the Pike Lake area.
Restoration is expected by 3:45 p.m.
Update: Power has been restored to all customers in the Eveleth area.
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Over 2,400 people are still experiencing power outages across the Northland this afternoon according to the Minnesota Power outage map.
The outage began Thursday morning around 11:55 a.m. and is estimated to be restored around 2:00 p.m.
In a recent post to the Minnesota Power Twitter page the company states, “Our crews are responding to 13 outages caused by the weather. The largest are in Hermantown, with restoration expected by 2 p.m., and near Eveleth, with restoration expected by 3:15 p.m.”
As of 12:25 p.m. Lake Country Power was also reporting around 568 customers experiencing power outages.
Lake Country Power says crews have been assigned and are working to restore power to customers as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, a blizzard has knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of people in the Northern Plains as a powerful storm system sweeps across the central U.S.
According to PowerOutage.us, 14,000 people and businesses are without power in Minnesota and the same number in South Dakota. Another 8,500 are in the dark in Iowa.
Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy spokesman Matt Lindstrom says the main culprit of Thursday’s outages is snow and ice accumulating on power lines, combined with strong winds.
Blizzard conditions in the region are expected to linger into early Friday. Lindstrom says crews are out working to restore power, and they’re used to dealing with bad weather conditions.
The blizzard is part of a storm system known as a “bomb cyclone” that’s slowly churning through the central U.S. for the second time in a month.
To check power outages in your area visit: https://www.mnpower.com/OutageCenter/OutageMap or http://outage.lcp.coop/#viewer-menu-parent.
