Xcel Energy working to restore power to customers after storms sweep across the Upper Midwest

Minneapolis, MN — Xcel Energy crews are working to assess damage and safely restore power to customers as quickly as possible after a storm with rain, snow and heavy wind gusts swept across Minnesota and western Wisconsin overnight creating widespread outages and damage to trees, poles and power lines.

Approximately 215,000 customers were impacted overnight. More than 145,000 have been restored as of this morning, with about 70,000 customers waiting for restoration. More than a thousand employees and contractors are in the field working to restore power, coming from across the region to help.

Customers who are experiencing outages should check for damage to their mast, which is the electric service connection to their home. If a mast is damaged, a licensed electrician must make repairs and it must be inspected before service can be restored.