CREWS FROM MIDAMERICAN ENERGY CONTINUE TO MAKE GREAT PROGRESS SINCE THE ONSET OF THE WINTER STORM EVENT WEDNESDAY MORNING.
AROUND 12,500 CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD POWER RESTORED, BUT AS OF 2:00 P.M., MORE THAN 23,000 MIDAMERICAN CUSTOMERS WERE STILL WITHOUT POWER DUE TO THE STORM PUSHING ACROSS IOWA.
INTERSTATE 29 REMAINED CLOSED AS OF 3:30 P.M. FROM SGT. BLUFF TO MISSOURI VALLEY BECAUSE OF POOR ROAD AND VISIBILITY CONDITIONS TO OUR SOUTH.
EXTREMELY HIGH WINDS CAUSED MOST OF THE POWER OUTAGES, CAUSING TREES AND BRANCHES TO FALL ONTO OVERHEAD LINES.
THE WINDS ALSO CAUSED SOME LINES TO GALLOP. WHICH IS WHEN SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATES ON OVERHEAD LINES, AND HIGH WINDS CAN CAUSE THEM TO BOUNCE VIOLENTLY AND SNAP, DAMAGING UTILITY POLE COMPONENTS AND CAUSING POLES TO BREAK APART.
LINE CREWS REPORT A LARGE NUMBER OF BROKEN POWER POLES IN AREAS IMPACTED BY THE STORM.
UPDATED 3:55 P.M.
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AS OF 11:30 THIS MORNING, MORE THAN 13,000 CUSTOMERS WERE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY DUE TO THE STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST IOWA.
THE AREAS MOST AFFECTED INCLUDE SIOUX CITY, STORM LAKE AND FORT DODGE.
STRONG WINDS WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH HAVE IMPACTED OVERHEAD POWER LINES, AFFECTING SERVICE TO MANY CUSTOMERS.
CURRENTLY, MORE THAN 300 MIDAMERICAN ENERGY CREW MEMBERS ARE WORKING ON POWER RESTORATION IN THESE REGIONS, INCLUDING LINE AND TREE CREWS, SPECIALIZED HIGH VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINE TEAMS, AND ADDITIONAL CREWS FROM OUTSIDE OF THEIR SERVICE AREA.
IF YOU ARE A MIDAMERICAN CUSTOMER AND YOUR POWER IS OUT, PLEASE REPORT IT ONLINE OR CALL 888-427-5632.
