Storms Cause Widespread Power Outages Across Minnesota

Saint Cloud, MN – Xcel Energy is working to restore power to customers after severe storms swept through Minnesota late Sunday night and early Monday morning.

Approximately 34,000 customers remain without power, a significant drop from 74,000 outages reported last night. Most of the affected individuals are located in the Twin Cities area, which has seen considerable damage due to strong thunderstorms.

The storm system resulted in over 1,147 separate outages across the state, impacting an estimated 72,000 residents. In addition to power outages, residents faced pea-sized hail and strong winds, particularly in neighborhoods like Plymouth and other areas within the Twin Cities metro.

In Northeastern Minnesota, early morning storms left about 10,000 homes without power along the Iron Range. Local utility providers, including Minnesota Power and Lake Country Power, are actively working to restore electricity. As of late Sunday, around 500 members of Minnesota Power and over 1,200 Lake Country Power customers were still without power.

Local crews are addressing issues such as fallen trees that have impacted power lines. In Hibbing, crews are engaged in restoration efforts while managing difficulties from the storm damage. Reports of debris and minor flooding have emerged, with the National Weather Service noting significant saturation in areas like Hibbing and Chisholm.

At Hibbing Golf Course, preparations for the 18th annual James R. Kiel Memorial Scholarship Tournament were briefly interrupted due to the outages. Fortunately, power was restored, allowing the event to go on as planned, though teams are still focused on cleanup.

Compounding the troubles, a downed power line in Eveleth caused a vehicle fire, but emergency responders reported no injuries amidst the chaos. This incident highlights the ongoing hazards posed by the severe weather conditions affecting the area.

Utility companies are working tirelessly to restore power and are advising customers on how to report outages through their mobile app, website, and customer service lines. Xcel Energy emphasizes the importance of safety, urging residents to stay away from downed or sagging power lines as they continue their recovery efforts.

As adverse weather continues, utility companies and local authorities are on high alert while assessing the full extent of damage caused by the storms and working diligently to restore normalcy across affected regions.