Dallas power outages expected to be fixed by the weekend

Oncor says it could be Friday or Saturday before power restoration is "substantially complete," weather permitting, after powerful thunderstorms early Tuesday morning.

In a statement Thursday, Oncor said crews were working around the clock to get the power back on and that in the first 24 hours since the storm they had restored service to more than 340,000 customers.

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At its peak on Tuesday, Oncor reported more than 650,000 customers were without power. At 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oncor's Stormcenter website showed just over 145,000 customers were still without electricity.

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Oncor said Thursday about 9,000 additional workers have been deployed from eight states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, and Virginia to assist in the recovery effort not only by restoring service but also by reconstructing damaged equipment and trimming vegetation which in many cases must be cleared before lines can be reconnected.

Oncor said some require complex repairs like removing uprooted trees and installing new utility poles and transformers where existing ones had been damaged beyond repair.

"Trees and on-the-ground debris have made access to restoration areas extremely difficult," Oncor said Thursday. "As damage assessments are completed, responding personnel must often clear downed trees and debris blocking or tangled in equipment so repairs can be made, which can include rebuilding infrastructure, setting new power poles and hanging power lines."

Teams, Oncor said, are working in 16-hour shifts both day and night until all power is restored in North Texas.

"We greatly appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers and remain focused on doing all we can to restore the remaining outages as quickly and safely as possible," Oncor said. "We estimate that restoration will be substantially complete by Friday evening, weather permitting. Harder hit areas are expected to be restored Saturday."

FAMILIES ADJUST TO LIFE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY WHILE AWAITING REPAIRS

Joanne Ochoa lives in Northeast Dallas and has been without power since hail, strong winds, and heavy downpours made their way through her neighborhood on Monday evening. For now, she said the biggest inconvenience has been cold showers.

"We're managing," Ochoa said. "We're just going to start getting frustrated as soon as the heat starts to rise."

Ochoa said her family's love for the outdoors is making it an easier transition to not rely on power.

"We always cook outside," Ochoa said. "We do it when we go out camping. When we go out of town."

Their driveway now also serves as their kitchen. A propane tank, outdoor burner, grill, and pots have become Ochoa's essential items.

"I am making chicken breast. We're going to make flautas with rice, and we're going to make a homemade hot sauce," Ochoa said.

An outdoor kitchen, open to any friends and family.

"I'm opening my doors to anyone that comes in," Ochoa said. "My girls are in a drill team, they can come and eat as well. My mom is across the street. My daughter lives down the street. She's without power and can come eat as well."

Nearby, neighbors made their rounds hoping to see flashing lights and cherry pickers on their street.

In Mesquite off of La Prada Drive, the only lights Doug McGeage had seen since power went out in his neighborhood, were from utility trucks.

"The power originally went out when the fence got blown down at about 4:30, 5 (Tuesday morning)," McGeage said. "The transformer blew, and so, we were out without power."

McGeage's neighborhood experienced a brief relief from Tuesday evening until Wednesday morning.

"That transformer blew again," McGeage said. "It was fine until around 5:30 this morning."

Subcontractors from Mississippi worked to replace a charred, blown-out transformer. While crews completed the job, as of Wednesday afternoon, power had not been restored. Crews told McGeage they still had to replace more than 100 feet of an electrical line near the intersection of Gus Thomasson and La Prada.

ARE YOU STILL WITHOUT POWER?

If you're still without power, Oncor asked customers to examine their equipment, including the meter and Weatherhead, to make sure they didn't appear damaged or removed. If so, an electrician will need to make repairs and a city inspection could be required before power can be safely restored.

Oncor reminds everyone to stay away from downed power lines, especially those who are in an area where there are downed trees or limbs. Customers are urged to keep themselves and pets out of harm's way and to call 911 immediately. If the line is energized, anything touching the line, including a fence or tree branch, could also be energized.