Tuesday, December 24, 2013
DETROIT (AP) — A massive ice storm blacked out homes from the Plains to the far Northeast of the U.S., dealing a big "bah humbug" to thousands of families whose Christmas Eve was shaping up to be very cold and very dark.
Utility crews worked around the clock today to restore service to the more than half a million homes and businesses still without power since the deadly arctic blast slammed much of the country over the weekend.
Some hardy revelers prepared to hunker down for the holiday, despite the lack of electricity, while others packed up their wrapped gifts and headed off to stay with family or friends.
The Potbury family was among nearly a quarter-million Michigan residents without power today. The family of four, of Mount Morris Township near Flint, lost electricity at 6 a.m. Sunday and has since stayed in a single bedroom warmed by generator-powered space heaters.
Lights on the Christmas tree of course were dark — one of several festive frustrations.
"Even though the house is freezing cold, the freezer items were starting to thaw out," John Potbury said.
Jackson-based Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, said the storm was the worst for their customers during Christmas week in its 126-year history. More than 300,000 homes and businesses — nearly 17 percent of its 1.8 million electric customers — lost power during the storm which hit the state late Saturday. About 174,000 still were out this morning and it could be days before power completely returns.