Staff Reports
Municipal utilities and Gulf Power Co. reported progress Monday in restoring power to customers left in the dark by Hurricane Michael.
But restoration in the most populated areas of Bay County could stretch into the middle of next week.
At the same time, roughly 90 percent of municipal power customers in Tallahassee had their lights on, and transmission lines had been restored in Quincy and Chattahoochee — a major step toward normal.
Seventy-four percent of customers in Chattahoochee lacked power Monday, and 84 percent in Quincy, according to the Florida Municipal Electric Association.
Blountstown remained severed from the grid, meaning that every customer there was without power. Electric supply to Havana, on the other hand, had been completely restored.
Still, 16,500 customers remained disconnected Monday, notwithstanding round-the-clock efforts by hundreds of workers from Florida and 15 other states.
Meanwhile, Gulf Power customers in downtown Panama City, Callaway, Parker, Lynn Haven, Youngstown, and surrounding areas will have to wait until midnight of next Wednesday, that company said.
In Panama City Beach, more than 95 percent of customers east of Highway 79 to the Hathaway Bridge had power — meaning approximately 62,000 had been re-connected.
That beat the company’s estimated restoration time by 18 hours.
“Our ability to get the lights on even quicker than our earlier estimate on Panama City Beach is a testament to the great teamwork and commitment of the entire team from across the country that have come to assist us,” vice president for power delivery Adrianne Collins said.
“We are glad to get these homes and businesses powered up and together, we will continue the work to restore hope to all of the families we serve.”
The company cautioned that the figures represent customers able to accept power — meaning they were not too damaged by Michael.
A map showing Gulf Power’s restoration progress is here.
