Lights And AC Back On For Everyone

Electricity restored across North Texas on Monday.

The lights are back on for everyone in Dallas County who lost power in last week's storms.

As of early Monday morning, all homes and businesses that can receive power have been restored according to electric provider Oncor, and that's good news since the National Weather Service said highs around 100 were expected throughout Texas on Monday.

Oncor said 3,600 people, including Oncor employees and contract crews from Louisiana, Alabama and Oklahoma, worked through the weekend to turn the lights on for thousands of Dallas County residents. About 5,000 customers were in the dark as of 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

"Our crews are making a lot of progress," Jeamy Molino said.

At one point after storms rolled through on Wednesday and Thursday, 500,000 customers were without power, Oncor estimated.

"They've been working throughout the night, throughout the day, working 12 to 16-hour shifts to help the restoration process to go as quickly and safely as possible," Molino said.

But in one Plano neighborhood, where power at the majority of homes was restored late last week, residents on one block were still sitting in the dark Saturday night. 

Jessica Abouk lost power Thursday morning.

"Even the first night's storms, that was 80 mph -- we thought we were going to get whipped on that one," she said. "Luckily, it blew past us, and the next thing you know, the next morning is the one that got us."

She and her family had to empty their refrigerator Friday.

"The whole refrigerator and freezer were full, and we pretty much got rid of everything," Abouk said.

A few houses down, the Potla family spent Saturday afternoon wondering if Sunday will be day four without electricity.

"I don't know why they can't do this with so much technology we have here," Prasad Potla said.

Abouk said she'd like to believe Oncor's estimates that power would be restored Sunday.

"It just feels like they're home in their air-conditioned houses, and maybe, if we're lucky, we'll get power Monday," she said.

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