Snow storm leaves 180,000 without power in Dallas
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Electricity provider Oncor said Friday a record-breaking snow storm over the past 24 hours left more than 180,000 homes and businesses without power in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
Some customers may have to wait until the weekend to see the lights back on, the company said in a release, adding it called for additional workers from inside and outside the state to help restore service.
"Restoring power in these conditions is difficult and time consuming. That's why we have additional help on the way," Jim Greer, senior vice president asset management and engineering for Oncor, said in the release.
"Trees, heavy with snow, are contacting power lines, causing power outages. As the slow thaw begins today, the limbs will snap back into position, hitting power lines," Greer added.
Oncor, which serves more 3 million customers in Texas, said it had about 2,500 Oncor personnel and contractors restoring power and expected another 1,500 contractors and personnel from other utilities to arrive throughout the day to help.
The weather should help make it easier to restore power over the next few days. Temperatures were forecast to reach the low 40s Fahrenheit on Friday and the mid 50s on Saturday and Sunday, according to AccuWeather.com.
(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Walter Bagley)
