Xcel Energy announced on Monday that it has successfully restored power to over 85% of the customers affected by the severe storms that hit Minnesota on Sunday night. The intense weather brought wind gusts exceeding 60 miles per hour, along with heavy rain, hail, and lightning, impacting nearly 80,000 customers, primarily in the Twin Cities metro area.
By Monday afternoon, around 70,000 customers had their power reinstated, although the number of outages rose again to approximately 79,000 later that evening as further storms swept through the region. In response to the situation, Xcel Energy mobilized over 1,000 workers and contractors to assist in the restoration efforts, with additional personnel expected to arrive by Tuesday morning.
The company is focusing on restoring power to larger outages first, but acknowledges that the numerous smaller, scattered outages may result in some customers experiencing longer wait times for their electricity to be restored.
In a positive turn, New Hope resident Lenore Brodney expressed her relief after her power was restored just before noon on Monday. “I was preparing for a two-day outage but was surprised to find my power restored quickly,” she shared after experiencing an abrupt cut-off while enjoying an evening with her children.
Xcel Energy is urging residents to exercise caution near downed or sagging power lines and to report any such incidents by calling 1-800-895-1999. For the latest updates on power outages, customers can also refer to the Xcel Energy outage map.
This rapid response and the commitment to restore power demonstrate the resilience and dedication of the utility company in the face of challenging weather conditions.