In the aftermath of severe storms that hit the metroplex throughout the week, approximately 125,000 Oncor customers were still without electrical power on Friday morning, furthering residents’ frustrations and concerns.
According to the latest updates from Oncor’s outage map, roughly 70,000 of the remaining outages were located in Dallas County. Collin County reported about 4,300 customers still without power, while Tarrant County and Denton County tallied 4,800 and 2,000 outages, respectively, reported The Dallas Morning News.
Severe thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds wreaked havoc across the Dallas-Fort Worth area Tuesday morning, downing power lines and plunging more than 600,000 electric utility customers into darkness at the storm’s peak, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Despite concerted efforts by Oncor and additional assistance from out-of-state crews, the sheer scale of destruction has posed significant challenges to the restoration process.
Oncor officials had initially expressed optimism, suggesting that restoration efforts would be “substantially complete” by Friday evening and that the most severely impacted areas would be restored by Saturday, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
However, due to the extensive damage incurred in some areas, some power lines must be completely rebuilt. This is a much more complex process than a simple repair, explained Oncor spokesperson Grant Cruise, per DMN.
Adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain, lightning, and flooding, have compounded restoration crews’ challenges. These conditions continue to hamper efforts in several communities where Oncor teams are actively working to restore power.
Meanwhile, Dallas officials have cautioned residents that the cleanup process, particularly removing fallen trees and debris, could extend over several weeks, underscoring the long road to full restoration.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the City of Dallas, in collaboration with Dallas ISD, has established a multi-agency resource center at Truett Elementary to provide vital support and disaster relief services to residents impacted by the storms. The center will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Despite a slight reprieve as the flood watch expired for most of North Texas early Friday morning, the National Weather Service has reported a potential for more storms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area over the weekend, exacerbating the challenges faced by both residents and recovery workers.