EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Dec. 16, 2021) – Xcel Energy crews continue to work as quickly and safely as possible to assess damage and restore power to customers after a line of severe thunderstorms and high winds rolled through Wisconsin last night causing extensive damage to trees, poles and power lines. More than 450 employees and contractors are part of the effort to get the power back on in the areas Xcel Energy serves in the Upper Midwest.
Since Wednesday night in Wisconsin around 24,000 customers experienced an outage and as of 8 a.m. about 16,000 customers are still without power in the state.
Xcel Energy knows losing power is hard and we appreciate customers’ understanding, patience and kindness as our crew members work to restore power.
When it comes to restoring power, top priority is given to situations that threaten public safety, such as live downed wires. However, continuing high winds and dropping temperatures throughout the day will make restoration efforts challenging. 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.
Visit https://www.xcelenergy.com/outages_and_emergencies to find the number of customers currently affected.
Xcel Energy urges safety and caution
Please use caution when traveling in affected areas and stay away from downed lines. Contact Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-1999 to report downed lines or natural gas leaks. Call 911 to report an emergency.
Report your outage.
Customers can help Xcel Energy get a jump on power restoration by reporting outages. Customers have a number of ways to report their outage.
- Via the Xcel Energy mobile app available on iOS and Android
- Online at xcelenergy.com/out
- Via text by texting ‘OUT’ to 98936 to report an outage, or text STAT to the same number to check the status of a power outage.
- Call 1-800-895-1999 and follow the prompts—the automated phone reporting system lets customers report outages in less than 60 seconds. Once the cause of the problem is identified, the system or an Xcel Energy representative will provide customers with an estimated restoration time.
Stay informed
If outages occur, it’s important for customers to have access to the most recent updates about their power restoration. Customers can stay informed by visiting the Xcel Energy website. Additionally, the website hosts an outage map that displays information on the number of customers out and anticipated time for restoration. Customers can also stay informed by following Xcel Energy on Facebook and Twitter.
Other ways customers can prepare, stay safe
· 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 calling 1-800-895-1999.
· Observe food safety. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food safety is directly related to the temperature of the food. To maintain refrigerator and freezer temperatures, keep doors closed as much as possible. A full freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for approximately two days and a half-full freezer approximately one day. Visit the USDA website for more information.
