'We have worked nonstop': 99% of power restored to WE Energies customers across SE Wisconsin

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- After a winter storm earlier this week brought almost a foot of heavy and wet snow in parts of Milwaukee County, more than 150,000 WE Energies customers were affected by major power outages beginning Thursday night.

Now, almost 48 hours later, about 99% of customers have retained power, but hundreds are still without, forcing some to make difficult and expensive decisions to keep their families safe and warm.

"We were freezing in our house. It was almost 38 hours of no electricity," Sarah Weber of Racine told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White. 

Weber believes the power initially went out around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, after her baby monitor stopped working.

It wasn't until around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, that it would return.

To help her children and their three pets, Weber chose to find a hotel and order takeout for meals -- but at a cost.

"I think I'll have spent somewhere between $300 to $500," Weber said, for the room, food deliveries and grocery run now needed as the fridge and freezer contents have spoiled. "It was definitely a very interesting weekend."

Weber said she tried calling WE Energies after looking at the provided outage map for updates, but consistently only received their automated voice message.

"I get that they're busy, but at the same time, you have to make a lot of decisions, especially when you have little kids and you are in weather like this and there's no power," Weber said. 

Other parents in Franklin facing similar issues also felt strongly about the situation, noting how hard it is to adjust schedules for little ones with no notice.

"We do have a young toddler at home and what was the most challenging or most difficult was not knowing when our power would be back on," said Gabrhael Wilberding. "Initially, when we went home last night, we went to sleep thinking that our power would be back on at 11 because that's what the site had said. So, it was a rough night with a very cold toddler."

Both added that communication from officials is key in situations like the storm.

"I just never expected this to happen. We're understanding that you can't control nature, but we never expected it to be out for more than a day," Wilberding said. "That was definitely a shock."

Brendan Conway, a spokesperson with WE Energies, said affected customers should know that crews have been working around the clock to address issues.

"From this really bad damage it's been a difficult restoration, but we've worked really hard," Conway said. "It becomes kind of like hand-to-hand combat. In the very beginning, you can do some simple things, get lots of power on. But if you look at the outage map, you'll see 14 customers out here, 100 customers out here, and unfortunately, it just takes time."

Conway said this week's storm was "unique" and acted more like a summer storm than a winter one.

"The wet snow acted just differently," Conway said. "We threw everything we had at it, and we still have people out right now and they're still working and they're not going to stop."

Officials expect all customers who can receive power to have it restored or have their outages assigned by the end of Saturday.

To check the outage map, click here.