Storms that hit Springfield, Missouri on Sunday resulted in significant damage to electrical lines, leaving thousands without power. Initially, City Utilities reported a peak outage affecting 37,000 customers, but by Monday evening, that number had decreased to 6,800 as crews worked tirelessly to restore service.
City Utilities estimates that full restoration could take until Thursday due to extensive damage to infrastructure. Jamie Presley, the communications manager for City Utilities, described the situation as a large-scale emergency, particularly as it follows another storm just two months prior that had left 50,000 customers in the dark.
In a commendable response, City Utilities crews managed to restore power to approximately 29,000 customers within the first 24 hours. “Our team is working consecutive 16-hour shifts and will not stop until every customer has been restored,” said Presley.
Community members reported varying degrees of damage. Residents like Carolyn Brown faced direct impacts, with large tree limbs resting on their vehicles. Fortunately, she noted her car was only scratched, but others experienced more severe damage, with trees crashing into homes. The area south of Republic Road appeared particularly hard-hit.
Presley acknowledged the challenges in repairing the damage, stating that the repair process is complicated and time-consuming. For residents without power, City Utilities encourages them to reach out via their outage hotline at 888-863-9001 to ensure they are added to the restoration list.
Residents are also reminded to check for damage to their weather heads, the connections between power lines and homes, and to unlock fence gates to facilitate safe access for utility crews.
Despite the current challenges posed by this storm, the prompt response from City Utilities and the community’s resilience offer a sense of hope as efforts continue toward full restoration.