MidAmerican Energy Company today announced that crews on Sunday restored all remaining electric customers in northwest Iowa affected by Thursday’s “bomb cyclone” storm that at its peak knocked out some 5,500 customers in that area.
Nearly 200 company and contract line workers, and support crews, worked around the clock to restore service to the thousands of customers affected by the powerful storm. The company sent crews, equipment and materials from across the state to restoration efforts in Lyon and Sioux counties.
“Our crews and response team throughout the company answered the call just as soon as the storm hit,” Jim Dougherty, vice president of electric delivery, said. “They worked long days and nights to restore our customers as quickly as they could, and did a truly amazing job of repairing and rebuilding,” he added. “Our customers could see the magnitude of the damage and we very much appreciated their understanding and support.”
The storm’s extreme winds, combined with ice, snow and rain, toppled electric transmission poles and overhead lines in both counties. In Lyon County the storm downed approximately 50 transmission poles between Inwood and Fairview. In Sioux County the storm knocked down approximately 60 transmission poles.
By late Friday, the company had restored service to all but a few dozen customers in both counties. Crews offered those customers use of temporary portable generators. More than two dozen customers accepted the offer.
While line crews have restored power, cleanup operations continue. Cleanup crews will remove broken poles and other storm-damaged equipment.