Nearly 2,000 line, tree, contractor, assessor and support personnel are working to restore power to the nearly 47,000 AEP Ohio customers who remain without electricity following the latest round of severe weather and strong winds — with peak gusts above 60 mph in some areas.
As part of our mutual assistance program with other utility companies, crews have come from as far away as Texas to assist in power restoration efforts. While outages are scattered throughout our service territory, the hardest hit areas include Northwest and Northeast Ohio. At the height of the event, more than 75,000 customers were without power.
Crews are in full force today — focusing on damage assessment, power restoration and working toward providing accurate restoration times for all affected areas. For the hardest hit areas, we expect to share estimated restoration times later tomorrow.
Crews will continue working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible, but lingering strong wind gusts could delay some restoration efforts.
ESTIMATED RESTORATION TIMES
Estimated restoration times are based on when power is expected to be restored to nearly all customers in the specified area. When crews arrive on individual work sites, a more precise restoration time for the affected group of customers will be updated in our system and communicated through alerts if the customers have signed up to receive our notifications by phone or email. To sign-up for alerts, customers should visit AEPOhio.com/Alerts.
IMPORTANT SAFETY MESSAGE: Investigate your surroundings before trying to clean up any debris. Tree limbs, leaves and other objects moved by the wind could hide downed wires. Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or debris within 10 feet of a power line.
ASSESSING THE DAMAGE
Customers without power in the hardest hit areas will likely see a status of "assessing" until crews are able to determine the severity of the damage. This process takes time, especially in more rural areas where the terrain may make it more difficult to reach and repair damaged equipment. Once crews have completed their assessment, customers can expect to receive an updated estimated restoration time. Read here for more about this process.
FAQS
Should I call AEP Ohio to report my power outage?
Immediately after a severe storm like this, we ask that you report only safety hazards such as downed lines or equipment that is sparking. You can report outages on the AEP Ohio mobile app or at AEPOhio.com/OutageMap.
How does AEP Ohio handle tree damage?
Our tree crews are among the first responders as they work to safely clear trees from our lines and equipment and move to the next location as quickly as possible to allow our line crews to restore power. We do not remove cut trees or limbs during emergency power restoration. In these instances, property owners are responsible for removing tree debris after crews have completed their work.
CONTINUED SAFETY REMINDERS
- Stay away from any downed wires. Call 911 and report any hazards through the AEP Ohio mobile app or by calling AEP Ohio at (800) 672-2231.
- Check on family, friends and neighbors who are elderly, have small children or have a medical condition.
- Investigate your surroundings before trying to clean up any debris. Tree limbs, leaves and other objects moved by the wind could hide downed wires. Do not attempt to remove tree limbs or debris within 10 feet of a power line.
- Notify AEP Ohio if you're using a generator. This protects you and our lineworkers as they work to restore power.
- Never operate lanterns, heaters or fuel-fired stoves without proper ventilation.
- Unplug major appliances to protect them when power is restored.
- Refuel heaters, lamps and generators outside and away from any flames or sparks. Wipe up spilled fuel immediately.
- Never burn charcoal indoors — it releases poisonous carbon monoxide.
- Watch this video for important safety information on what to do if a power line falls on your vehicle.
STAY CONNECTED
Customers can receive the latest alerts and information and should:
NEXT UPDATE
1:00 PM — Sunday, April 2