Ishpeming, MI- Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO) has restored electric service to about 1,100 customers since this morning as crews continue to work following the hurricane-like wind storms during the last two days that resulted in power interruptions to about 6,500 UPPCO customers on Wednesday. (There are 52,000 total UPPCO electric customers.)

Restoration efforts are focused on the Ishpeming area where about 1,460 customers are still without power as of late afternoon (Thursday, October 28, 2010). There are a few remaining outages in the areas of Escanaba and Iron River.

Most power has been restored to the areas of Houghton, Iron River, Munising and Ontonagon. If you are a customer in that area and are without power, call UPPCO, or visit the UPPCO website www.uppco.com to report the outage. The majority of customers in those areas should have their power restored.

UPPCO estimates that nearly all power should be restored sometime on Friday.

Customers should call UPPCO at the established emergency customer number of 800 562-7809 to report any potentially dangerous or unsafe conditions. If customers are in imminent danger, call 9-1-1.

Customers who can access the Internet can visit the UPPCO website www.uppco.com to report an outage, stay current on storm restoration and view electric outage information.

The restoration process is done in well-coordinated geographical waves as crews work through an area. This allows for the most efficient and safe way to return electrical service to all customers in a timely, safe and well coordinated manner.

UPPCO reminds seasonal customers who may be returning to their "cabin in the north woods" this weekend that if they encounter problems with their electrical service or observe any potentially dangerous conditions involving power lines to contact UPPCO immediately.

Customers incurring damage to their service line or equipment will need it repaired by a private licensed electrical contractor prior to having their power turned back on. Typically, a tree or branch falls on the service line and pulls the customer's service pole away from the side of the house. The maintenance of the service pole is the responsibility of the customer.

Customers are asked to safely stay far away from crews and give them space do their work. Crews use heavy equipment and need lots of area to operate their machinery.

Customers are also advised, as always, to assume all downed power lines energized and to stay away from them. As power is restored, some downed lines that were not energized, may suddenly be re-energized.

UPPCO thanks customers for their patience and understanding and appreciates the cooperative efforts of local law enforcement agencies in keeping everyone safe during these last few days.

SAFETY REMINDERS:

Chainsaw Use: Stay clear of any branches or limbs that are near or could be entangled in power lines. Power lines may still be energized. Contact UPPCO if you come across any potentially dangerous situations.

Back-up Generators: Portable electrical generators should be used properly and safely. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Generator Connection: Do not connect a portable generator directly into a building's wiring or plug the generator into an electrical outlet. This is extremely dangerous to utility line mechanics repairing downed power lines and to the generator and appliances plugged into the generator. If a generator is plugged into your home's electrical circuits, it can still "backfeed" power into the utility company lines, which can electrocute utility workers fixing downed power lines. A switch should be installed by a licensed electrician to isolate the building from the utility distribution system.

Generator Space Requirements: Never operate a generator in an enclosed or partially enclosed area. A generator requires proper ventilation in an outdoor area.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For the most current up-to-date UPPCO outage numbers, access the "View Current Electric Outages" on the UPPCO website: www.uppco.com/home/outages.aspx The outage information on the above website is updated every 15 minutes.

This will be the last news release for today. Members of the news media are encouraged to monitor outages from the website listed above.

For More Information, Contact:

·        For more information, contact:
Jodi Pineau
UPPCO Customer Relations Leader
(906) 362-2300

 

·        UPPCO Customer Service
800-562-7680