For Release: 09/28/2009
Heavy Winds Cause Outages Throughout the North Woods
Green Bay, WI – Heavy winds and rain caused numerous power outages throughout much of Wisconsin Public Service territory. Most outages are North of Green Bay. Currently, the Minocqua area is the largest hit area with more than 3300 customers without electricity. Additional crews from the Wausau area have been dispatched to the Minocqua area to assist. WPS expects most areas to have electricity restored by late this evening. Other areas currently having power issues are:
- Eagle River 1560
- Merrill 1300
- Rhinelander 500
- Tomahawk 400
- Wabeno 1700
- Wausaukee 500
High winds and rain have been blamed for these outages. Winds have caused trees and branches to come in contact with the power lines. Use caution when approaching these areas. Wait for WPS crews to assist the removal of the debris.
Downed Power Lines
- Stay away from downed or sagging power lines, and do not touch anything that is on or near them (i.e., trees or tree limbs, cars, ladders).
- Do not try to remove downed trees or limbs from power lines.
- Keep children and family pets away from areas where lines may have fallen (backyards, fields, school yards, etc.).
- If a power line falls across a car that you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire, or other immediate danger, jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.
- Report all power line hazards to WPS or your local emergency services agency.
For more information regarding outages please log onto www.wisconsinpublicservice.com
About Wisconsin Public Service Corporation: Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE: TEG), is an investor-owned electric and natural gas utility headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It serves approximately 433,000 electric customers and 314,000 natural gas customers in residential, agricultural, industrial, and commercial markets. The company’s service area includes northeastern Wisconsin and an adjacent portion of Upper Michigan. Additional information is available online at www.wisconsinpublicservice.com
For More Information, Contact:
- Media Hotline
800-977-2250
- Wisconsin Public Service Customer Service
800-450-7260