Sunday, Feb. 12 is when power lost during the recent winter storm is expected to be fully restored, according to Austin Energy, Austin-based media outlets reported.
The month of February began with the City of Austin and much of Texas encountering a severe blast of cold weather, with hundreds of thousands of Texans rendered without electricity.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that up to 600 workers from Austin Energy and other utilities are continuously working to fix the swath of downed power lines.
According to the station, over 94% of Austin Energy customers saw their electricity return as of Sunday, but at least 30 traffic signals and few school zone signals were still nonfunctional.
KVUE reported that city officials have kept residents up to date on recovery efforts.
Austin Energy General Manager Jackie Sargent described the storm’s impact as “hurricane-level devastation,” per KVUE.
"I really wish that we could give you an estimated time of restoration, this is frustrating for everyone," Sargent said in the report.
Austin Journal reported that nearly 200,000 residences and businesses were left in the dark after ice coated power lines, utility poles and tree limbs during the first few hours of the disturbance’s wake.
Austin Energy said in a press release obtained by Austin NBC affiliate KXAN that the projected date of next Sunday was determined by four factors: Restoration rate since the storm’s arrival, number of workers deployed, a more complete damage assessment and weather.
KXAN reported that Sargent fears an unfavorable weather forecast could prove problematic for recovery work, which she vows will nonetheless continue.
“We are now focusing on the most complicated restoration efforts,” Sargent said, per the station. “The smaller outages with unique damage.”