Severe thunderstorms cause massive power outages in Wisconsin

Severe storms cause power outages in Wisconsin.

42,000 customers were without electricity.

MGE is working restoring power.

Severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings in Wisconsin continued into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

By 1 a.m., the major threat had passed, but wind gusts left thousands without electricity.

Radar images showed storms with wind gusts over 70 mph near Belleville.

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Storms cause widespread power outages in Wisconsin

Photo: The Associated Press

A spokesperson from Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) reported that restoring service could take several days.

Steve Schultz, from MGE, stated that more than 250 outages affected 42,000 customers, one of the largest disruptions in their history.

By 7 a.m. on Wednesday, May 22, the number of affected customers had reduced to 25,000 and by noon to less than 13,000.

Schultz explained that damages included broken poles, fallen trees, and severed wires.

Restoration efforts continue after historic storms

Photo: Shutterstock

MGE worked throughout Wednesday to restore service quickly and safely. Unfortunately for residents, the company did not provide an estimated time for everyone to have their power back, but it is expected to take several days.

Schultz described the weather event as historic, with hurricane-force winds. MGE is seeking support from mutual aid groups to assist in the restoration efforts.

By Wednesday night, 80% of customers had electricity restored after Tuesday night’s storms, according to MGE.

The company announced that the storm caused outages for more than 46,000 customers. About 40,000 customers had their electricity restored within less than 24 hours, according to WMTV.