Crews making significant headway in power restoration efforts
Utility companies across the region on Friday were continuing to restore power to thousands of residents who were left in the dark in the aftermath of Tuesday’s devastating storm.
FirstEnergy Corporation, the parent company of West Penn Power and Penn Power, listed about 1,034 outages remaining in Butler County as of Friday night.
Buffalo Township contained the vast majority of those outages with 614.
Clinton Township had around 223 outages. Clearfield Township had more than 200 outages earlier on Friday, but had less than 20 outages by the evening.
All of the remaining townships in Butler County had fewer than 40 outages remaining.
Most of the outages remaining were reportedly awaiting available crews or equipment repairs with power expected to be restored for most customers by 3 p.m. Monday at the latest.
Central Electric Cooperative was not reporting any outages as of Friday.
Meanwhile, in nearby Allegheny County, West Penn Power reported more than 2,000 customers who are still without power.
As that work continues around southern Butler County and southwestern Pennsylvania in general, food and water distribution is underway.
Butler County Emergency Services announced FirstEnergy activated its Water and Ice Program, making customers without power eligible 2 two gallons of bottled water and two bags of ice. Only one supply per household will be provided.
Supplies can be retrieved from Giant Eagle distribution sites at 100 Buffalo Plaza in Buffalo Township, 1521 N. Main St. Extension in Center Township, 700 Moraine Point Plaza in Butler Township, 20111 Route 19 in Cranberry Township and 206 Seven Fields Blvd. in Seven Fields.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program users may qualify to get one month’s benefits restored by completing a form within 10 days of the disaster with how much food was lost.
The Butler County Assistance Office or statewide customer service center at 1-877-395-8930 must be contacted to process forms. Residents are also encouraged to dial 211 for resources.
Spring thunderstorms are far from over, however, as the region continues to recover.
While temperatures this weekend are slated to be in the mid-60s to low 70s, most of the region should expect more rain.
“We’re in a pattern of a wet period,” said Shannon Hefferan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.
She said that “some areas could get a half-inch to an inch of rain” from Friday night into Saturday afternoon.
As for Sunday, Hefferan said most areas could receive a quarter to a half-inch of rain.
“There could be some pop-up thunderstorms in the afternoon time frame again,” she said.
