Austin ice storm leaves many without electricity

“We’re planning for worst-case situation,” he stated.

Making any plans has been tough — and downright infuriating — for almost 20,000 prospects who nonetheless had no electrical energy Monday almost every week after a lethal ice storm crippled the Texas capital and introduced down energy traces below the load of fallen and frozen tree limbs. Faculties lastly reopened, however noisy turbines rattled earlier than daybreak and outside extension cords operating 100 ft (30 meters) or longer grew to become lifelines between neighbors who had energy and those that didn’t.

The boiling frustration over the sluggish tempo of restoring energy, and officers repeatedly saying they may not provide timetables for repairs, escalated Monday as the way forward for Austin’s prime metropolis govt plunged into jeopardy even because the variety of outages continued falling.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, a Democrat, known as a gathering for this week that may put Metropolis Supervisor Spencer Cronk’s job on the road. The transfer mirrored the rising discontent in America’s Eleventh-largest metropolis, the place late Sunday evening, Austin Power issued a press release within the face of rising criticism that full energy restoration could not occur till Feb. 12 — almost two weeks after the outages started.

“To all our Austin residents who’re livid concerning the ongoing energy outage, you’re proper,” Watson tweeted. “There should be accountability.”

Cronk, who oversees metropolis employees, responded by telling reporters he was targeted on the storm restoration and restoring energy. Watson didn’t outright say whether or not he thinks Cronk must be fired however stated Thursday’s assembly would “consider the employment” of the town supervisor.

For the overwhelming majority of Austin residents, the lights have been on Monday or by no means went out within the first place. On the peak of the outages, about 170,000 houses and companies — almost a 3rd of utility prospects in Austin — had no electrical energy, and in lots of instances, no warmth. By Monday, the outages have been all the way down to about 4% of all prospects.

However in neighborhoods nonetheless with out energy, acquainted scenes unfolded.

Spoiled meals piled up in trash bins. Energy shops in espresso outlets and eating places have been snatched up by individuals charging battery packs and units. And on textual content message teams and social media apps, the sights of restore crews have been handled as pressing developments.

Katy Manganella, 37, grew so fed up that when Austin Power got here to her neighborhood Sunday with a charging station for residents — however nonetheless no restore vans — she paced in entrance of the station holding a poster that learn, “This pregnant woman is over it!”

“It’s been fairly depressing,” stated Manganella, a therapist who’s seven months pregnant and was unable to work final week due to the outages. “How is there no plan for this?”

Austin Power has described the remaining outages as probably the most difficult and time-consuming. The storm plunged temperatures close to or under freezing and coated bushes with ice throughout Austin, weighing down branches that finally snapped and crashed onto energy traces. Iced-over gear and crews driving on slick roads additionally slowed restoration efforts, in keeping with metropolis officers.

Crews have additionally come throughout “irate prospects” out within the discipline, stated Craig Brooks, director of operations for Austin Power, together with one occasion during which police have been known as. He didn’t present specifics concerning the encounters, describing them as, “Some verbal. Some individuals defending their property.”

The utility warned Monday {that a} new entrance of excessive winds and potential storms beginning Tuesday may additional hamper restoration efforts.

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