A windstorm with gusts topping 75 miles per hour struck Owensboro on Sunday, September 14, causing widespread and extensive damage throughout the city.

Immediately following the storm, Owensboro Municipal Utilities reported approximately 19,000 of its 25,500 customers were without power. As of 8 a.m. on Thursday, September 18, approximately 2,000 customers remain without power.

At the height of the storm, OMU's entire electric grid was affected. Nine of the utility's 15 substations were affected, seven transmission poles were destroyed along with 30 distribution ones.

Due to the nature of this storm and the way it affected the system, crews had to first restore transmission capabilities, then re-energize substations before crews could begin physically walking each of the utilities power lines to assess additional damage, evaluate safety and restore power where possible.

OMU estimates that the majority of those currently without power will be restored by Wednesday evening. Crews from Frankfort, Henderson, Bowling Green and Springfield, IL, are working with OMU crews to complete restoration. Hendrix contract crews are also assisting in restoration.

Please do not remove limbs or trees from lines. Assume that all downed lines are energized and therefore dangerous.

For more information about electric restoration, please click here.

To report downed lines or power outages, please call (270) 926-3200.