Nashville Reaches 5th Day Of ‘Historic’ Power Outages, Over 100K Still Have No Electricity
Over 100,000 homes and businesses in Nashville are still without power after a nationwide winter storm slammed the city with ice over the weekend.
The Nashville Electric Service, which serves the vast majority of the metro Nashville area, said in a Wednesday afternoon update that a total of 109,000 customers remain without power, while around 121,000 customers have had their electricity restored. The slow progress after the massive winter storm has put many Nashville residents on edge as they wait for the power to come back while battling extreme cold, with temperatures plunging to below 10 degrees earlier this week.
The storm, which brought snow and nearly an inch of ice in some areas, resulted in the biggest power outage in the history of the Nashville Electric Service.
“We have deployed more than 900 lineworkers who are continuing restoration efforts and help our customers. These lineworkers are joining us from Florida, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Mississippi, Indiana and from different areas in Tennessee,” the Nashville Electric Service said in its most recent update. “Additionally, 215 vegetation management team members as well as supplemental contract teams have been deployed to complement restoration efforts and ensure lineworkers can continue reaching their sites efficiently.”
A major issue slowing down crews is the heavy damage caused by the storm, which brought down trees, limbs, and road signs, blocking roads. Ice from the storm also coated roads and highways, impeding travel, but many residents are questioning why the electric company didn’t prepare before the storm to send more linemen into the field, especially since weather forecasts predicted a potentially devastating ice storm.
RELATED: PICTURES: Ice Wreaks Havoc On Nashville, Leaving Thousands Without Power
The Nashville Electric Service addressed the frustrations over its response, saying on Wednesday, “We’ve heard from our customers and know that many are feeling frustrated right now. We understand that being without power is a significant hardship. Our crews are working around the clock to navigate complex damage, and we remain fully committed to restoring service as safely and quickly as possible for everyone still affected.”
Tennessee National Guard troops were reportedly en route to the Nashville area on Wednesday to help clear fallen trees. Residents were also outside with chainsaws early Wednesday morning, trying to clear debris for linemen, Fox 17 Nashville reported.
The electric company has gradually increased the number of linemen in the field as workers from other states have joined the effort to restore power to Music City. The Nashville Electric Service, however, has been accused of refusing extra help and working with significantly fewer linemen than the neighboring Middle Tennessee Electric.
One lineman told Fox 17 Nashville that he doesn’t think Nashville has deployed enough workers to address the widespread outages, adding that the city needed “a minimum of 2,000″ linemen. The lineman said he believes the electric company didn’t want to pay union wages for outside help.
The Nashville Electric Service denied claims that it has refused extra help and said that it doesn’t avoid paying union wages.
“As far as we know, no,” Nashville Electric Service spokesman Brent Baker said when asked if the company refused extra help. “We are sticking to the path of bringing on the crews that we have partnered with and through the mutual aid … NES currently has crews from Florida, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Mississippi and states across the United States and especially the region. As we continue to scale up and grow the workforce, we were accepting workforce from all of those agreements.”
Hotels in Nashville quickly filled up with people escaping the cold while they waited for their power to return. Some church buildings, community centers, and homeless shelters were also open to the public in the city, and free hot meals were available for residents at the fairgrounds on Tuesday and Wednesday.
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