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More than 30% of Austin Energy customers were without power Wednesday afternoon as the winter storm continued to roll through Central Texas, causing ice to accumulate on power lines, utility poles and tree limbs.
The electric utility said crews were working to fix the outages — which grew throughout the day — but icy roads and frozen equipment were slowing things down.
“It is not possible to provide an estimated restoration time,” Austin Energy said in a statement tweet at 11:30 am “It is possible that some customers may be without power for 12-24 hours.”
The utility company advised customers to make emergency plans and prepare to evacuate, if necessary, before 5 p.m.
The outages, which affected more than 170,000 residential and commercial electricity users, were due to local issues; it is not a result of the problem of the electric grid in the entire state. Williamson and Hays counties also saw outages.
Austin Energy customers can report power outages by calling 512-322-9100 or texting “OUT” to 287846. They can also report and check the status of outages on the Austin Energy map .
Downed power lines also caused problems for drivers. Just before 3 p.m., Interstate 35 in North Austin was closed in both directions from Wells Branch to Grand Avenue Parkway due to downed lines, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office tweet. The southbound frontage road at Grand Avenue was also closed. The Texas Department of Transportation said all lanes were reopened around 4 p.m
TxDOT continues to encourage people to stay off the roads if they can. Here’s what to know if you need to drive. The power outage also affected traffic signals in Austin. If you see a traffic light that isn’t working or is flashing red, treat it as a four-way stop.
Residents of Travis County District 10, around West Lake Hills, are being asked to conserve water due to a power outage at the McConnel Pump Station. The county said Austin Energy is working to restore service.
The power went out for Northwest Austin resident India Gail this morning around 9 a.m. A few hours after the power went out, she began walking in the cold with her twin daughters and their dog to get to the house of a friend who has the power to wait for loss.
“They want to watch TV,” Gail said, referring to her 5-year-old daughters. “If it’s just me, I can keep it up.”
She wasn’t sure when they would make it back, so she and her family packed some food and crafts — and put their dog Mango in a sweater — and set off.
“We go there and warm up and store our food,” he said, carrying a bag of yogurt, lunch meat and cheese.
Closing and cancellation
Many Central Texas school districts and businesses remained closed Wednesday. The National Weather Service expects the freezing rain to continue through Thursday morning, so more closures are ahead.
Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Pflugerville ISD and Round Rock ISD announced the closures for Thursday. (Visit your local school district’s website for the most up-to-date information.) UT Austin too remain closed Thursday.
Capital Metro services were suspended on Wednesday. The agency said it plans to resume bus service Thursday, but not on a normal schedule: Buses won’t hit the road until 10 a.m. and they will have a reduced schedule. MetroRail does not run on Thursdays.
Most local government offices and facilities are closed – including the cities of Austin, San Marcos and Georgetown, as well as Travis, Hays and Williamson counties.
Some Austin-area HEB stores are currently closed, and others are adjusting hours. Many close at 6pm on Wednesdays. See the full list here.
Runways and roads at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport are open, said Sam Haynes, an airport spokesman.
“The airport is really quiet today. We didn’t have to de-ice anything on the airfield but the north side of the property with the driveways and parking structures had some ice pop up,” Haynes said. “Some driveways and stairs closed but all lanes are open. “
The airport has had more than 300 canceled flights in the past 24 hours, according to Flight Aware.
Where to stay warm
People who need a warm place to stay in Austin can go to one of the warming centers, which are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays:
- Little Walnut Creek Branch Library, 835 W. Rundberg Ln
- Terraces Branch Library, 1105 E. Cesar St.
- Turner-Roberts Recreation Center, 7201 Colony Loop Dr.
- Austin Recreation Center, 1301 Shoal Creek
Those who need transportation to a warming center should call 311.
Cold weather shelters are available Wednesday evening. Anyone who needs a warm place to stay can go to the One Texas Center at 505 Barton Springs Road to register between 6 pm and 8 pm You will be taken to a shelter. You can call 512-305-4233 for more information on shelters.
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