Thank you customers, communities, and contractors for your support
[Tuesday, May 17] Five days after severe weather struck the southern part of our service area,听we're finalizing power restoration to all remaining customers.
鈥�We have a long list of organizations and people to thank,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥淔rom emergency response personnel in the communities we serve to local companies willing to help with a wide variety of restoration tactics, we couldn鈥檛 have done this alone. And to our resilient customers: Thank you for your widespread support. Our crews are grateful for every kind word and drive-by cheer you provided as we worked to make repairs.鈥�
In total, the storm caused power interruptions for more than 45% of our communities, and we'll听continue permanent repairs to equipment in the days and weeks ahead. Customers who may still be without power should call us at 800-257-4044 if they haven鈥檛 yet reported their address. 听
We continue power restoration
[Monday, May 16]听A bright day carries with it the hope of restoration to many customers still affected by Thursday evening鈥檚 severe weather.
We're addressing any remaining feeders this morning, then moving to individual customer-level repairs in all communities as needed. These types of local outages will not appear on听our online outage map.
鈥�It鈥檚 important that you call us as soon as possible if you鈥檙e still without power and haven鈥檛 yet reported your address,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥淲ith more than 140 lineworkers in 30 communities, we鈥檙e moving as quickly and safely as we can to make individual repairs and restore power to impacted customers.鈥�
Be sure to stay safe and stay away from any damaged power lines or poles.
We'll听provide an update on restoration efforts around 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at otpco.com/outages.
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[Sunday, May 15, 8:00 p.m.]听As the sun sets on another day filled with extensive repairs,听our crews express their gratitude for customer support.
鈥淭hank you for your well-wishes! We鈥檙e hearing the honking horns and cheers coming from cars passing by our crews and reading notes of thanks online as we鈥檙e able to restore power to our neighbors,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥淩epairs have been challenging in the Industrial Park and Riverview Development area of Morris, but we鈥檙e targeting restoration yet tonight pending unforeseen delays. We鈥檝e also made significant strides energizing additional customers in Castlewood, with only about 20% of the community remaining without power. We鈥檙e estimating late tomorrow evening for full restoration in Castlewood.鈥澨�
We'll address any remaining feeders first thing Monday morning, then move to individual customer-level repairs in all communities. These types of local outages will not appear on听our online outage map.
Please call or send a direct message via if you're without power and haven鈥檛 yet reported your address. Be sure to stay safe and stay away from any damaged power lines or poles.
We'll provide an update on restoration efforts around 10:00 a.m. Monday at otpco.com/outages.听
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[Sunday, May 15,听10:45 a.m.]听The start of a new day brings with it aggressive goals from a diligent team.
We've restored power at community levels to all areas,听enabling crews to address hundreds of isolated neighborhood- and customer-level issues. Remaining local outages will not appear on our online outage map.
More than 100 crew members continue work today on isolated repairs in听over 40 communities, prioritizing lines that affect the most people.
Please听call or send a direct message via if you're without power and haven鈥檛 yet reported your address. Be sure to stay safe and stay away from any damaged power lines or poles.
鈥淢other Nature had quite an impact. Thank you again for the support of our crews as they work their way through repairs,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥淲e appreciate your ongoing patience and understanding as we work to completely restore power as safely and quickly as we can.鈥�
We'll听provide an update on restoration efforts around听8:00 p.m. Sunday at otpco.com/outages.
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[Saturday, May 14, 4:30 p.m.] Our crews made significant progress throughout the day, restoring power to several areas while continuing to address isolated issues in the region.
Below are communities still without power, as well as current estimated restoration times.
Minnesota
- Louisburg: Targeted restoration this evening.
South Dakota
- Nunda, Oldham, and Wentworth areas: Targeted restoration this evening.
- Castlewood: Targeted restoration late this evening for many customers. Restoration to remaining customers will continue throughout the next few days.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e still experiencing an outage not listed, and haven鈥檛 yet reported it to us, please call or send us a direct message via ,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥�And if you see damage to power lines or poles, stay safe and stay away. Report damage to us right away.鈥�
We'll provide an update on restoration efforts around 9:30 a.m. Sunday at otpco.com/outages.
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[Saturday, May 14, 9:30 a.m.]听As the sun rose this morning, more than 100 of our crew members were hard at work in area communities to resume power restoration efforts following Thursday evening鈥檚 severe weather.听We听restored power to more than 20,000 customers by last night, with approximately 4,000 still without electricity.
We continue repairs to lines that impact the most people, coordinating human and material resources as efficiently as possible. 鈥淵esterday we were able to bring several areas back on line,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥淚f we鈥檝e restored power to your community, but you鈥檙e still without electricity, the issue may be specific to your location. Please call us at 800-257-4044 to be sure we鈥檙e aware. We鈥檒l follow up with repairs as soon as we can.鈥�
Below are communities affected as well as current estimated restoration times.
Minnesota
- Louisburg: Targeted restoration this evening.
- Marietta: Targeted restoration this afternoon.
- All other Minnesota communities have been restored with isolated restoration and repair efforts ongoing.
South Dakota
- Astoria: Targeted restoration this afternoon.
- Nunda, Oldham, Rutland, and Wentworth areas: Targeted restoration this evening.
- Castlewood: Targeted restoration late Sunday evening, though with several localized repairs still needed.
- All other South Dakota communities have been restored with isolated restoration and repair efforts ongoing.
We've restored power to all North Dakota customers.
鈥淥ur crews in the field and teams in the office have been working diligently to fully restore power to customers,鈥� said Wiese. 鈥淭hank you for your kind words, well-wishes, and patience as we work to energize all communities.鈥� We'll provide an update on restoration efforts around 4:30 p.m. Saturday at otpco.com/outages.
If you can see damage to power lines or poles, please stay safe and stay away.听Call us听to report damage.
听
We're working to restore power
Severe weather cause of widespread outages
[Friday, May 13, 4:30 p.m.] We continue efforts to restore power to customers in Minnesota and South Dakota following Thursday evening鈥檚 severe weather.听We've experienced significant damage to equipment, including more than 250 broken poles. Additionally, high winds in part of the area have caused new outages in some communities. As of 4:00 p.m. today,听we've restored power to at least 14,000 customers, with more than 10,000 still without electricity.
Additional crews and equipment have been arriving at impacted communities. 鈥淭he storm鈥檚 impact has been far reaching,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥淲e continue our efforts to restore power to as many customers as possible, beginning with repairs to lines that impact the most people. We鈥檒l follow with repairs of individual service levels to homes as needed over the next several days.鈥�
Below are communities affected as well as current estimated restoration times, if known.
Minnesota
- Gentilly, Plummer, Oklee, and Red Lake Falls areas: Crews are working to determine the cause of a new outage. We鈥檒l provide an update as soon as we can.
- Louisburg area: Targeted restoration tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.
- Chokio, Cyrus, DeGraff, Farwell, Hancock, Hoffman, Holloway, Milan, Minneota, Murdock, Odessa, Pennock, Taunton, and Wheaton: Targeted restoration late this evening.
- All other Minnesota communities have been partially restored with additional restoration efforts ongoing.
North Dakota
- Devils Lake: Targeted restoration by 4:30 p.m. today.
- Cleveland, Fessenden, Jamestown, Medina, and New Rockford areas: Targeted restoration this evening.
South Dakota
- Astoria, Colman, Nunda, Oldham, Rutland, Toronto, and Wentworth areas: Targeted restoration tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon.
- Castlewood: Targeted restoration Monday, May 16.
- Bruce, Bushnell, Clear Lake, Dempster, Erwin, Hetland, Lake Norden, Trent, Ward, and White areas: Targeted restoration early this evening.
- DeSmet, Egan, Elkton, Gary, Hammer, Hayti, Lake Preston, Marietta, Nassau, and Verdi: Targeted restoration later this evening.
- All other South Dakota communities have been partially restored with additional restoration efforts ongoing.
To let crews rest for a safe tomorrow,听we'll begin pulling employees from the field around 9:00 p.m. tonight. 鈥淲e truly appreciate the support of our customers, neighbors, and communities,鈥� said Wiese. 鈥淧lease stay safe.鈥澨齏e'll provide an update on restoration efforts around 9:30 a.m. Saturday at otpco.com/outages.
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[Friday, May 13, 4:00 p.m.]听We're finalizing information from each of our areas and will have a comprehensive update around 4:30 p.m. Thank you for your ongoing patience!
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[Friday, May 13, 9:15 a.m.] Thursday evening鈥檚 severe weather has resulted in prolonged outages for more than 24,000 of our customers primarily in Minnesota and South Dakota. With significant damage to equipment, including more than 250 broken poles, we anticipate that it may take most of the day before crews are able to complete repairs. Some customers could be without power for three to four days.
Crews continue to assess damage as they work to restore power to customers. 鈥淥ur hearts are with those that experienced damage to their homes and businesses,鈥� said Area Manager Scott Wiese. 鈥淲e鈥檝e worked throughout the night to determine the extent of damage, and additional crews and equipment are on their way to assist with repairs.鈥� We expect to provide updates about specific communities around 4 p.m. today.
Visit otpco.com/outages for information on areas affected and what to do during an outage. And, if you can see damage to power lines or poles, please stay safe and stay away. Call us at 800-257-4044 to report damage.
鈥淲e appreciate our customers鈥� patience as we work as safely and quickly as we can to restore power,鈥� said Wiese.
A power pole and line lays over railroad tracks in Morris, Minnesota.