Updated
Updated · WBAY · Jul 28
WPS Restores Power to 12,000 Customers as Tornado Damage Draws Outside Crews
Updated
Updated · WBAY · Jul 28

WPS Restores Power to 12,000 Customers as Tornado Damage Draws Outside Crews

2 articles · Updated · WBAY · Jul 28

Summary

  • About 12,000 Wisconsin Public Service customers had power restored after Monday’s severe storms, with crews still working around the clock in the hardest-hit areas.
  • Broken utility poles, downed lines and trees on equipment slowed repairs, and WPS brought in outside contract crews while sister utility WE Energies dispatched teams to the heavily damaged Fox Valley.
  • Appleton and Menasha were among the worst-hit areas after a reported tornado, with utilities first securing downed wires and damaged equipment before broader restoration work.
  • Critical sites including hospitals, police and fire departments are being prioritized, while residents are urged to stay at least 25 feet from any downed line and report it immediately.

Insights

As utility crews battle impassable roads and shattered poles, how long will the hardest-hit neighborhoods remain trapped in the dark?
An EF-2 tornado struck without known fatalities, but could the massive power grid failure claim the storm's first victims?