Power back on for many Mid-Atlantic residents
By The Oakland Press |
BALTIMORE (AP) — More Mid-Atlantic residents are a little more comfortable as power companies hooked them back up with lights and air conditioning over the Fourth of July holiday.
Pepco got some of the harshest criticism. As of Thursday morning, the utility says it's restored power to more than 90 percent of its customers in the nation's capital and Maryland suburbs.
More than 2 million people at one point lost power from wicked storms that converged on Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C., Indiana and Ohio. They packed winds topping 70 mph in some places, uprooting trees and damaging homes.
Officials blamed the storms for 26 deaths.
Early Thursday, the number without power is diminishing though not quickly enough for those still in the sweltering dark. At least 500,000 customers are still out.
The Oakland Press