AUSTIN, Texas — Over 4,000 Austin Energy customers were without power Saturday afternoon.
The utility reported outages affecting 4,078 customers as of 1:58 p.m., according to its outage map. Only 47 were affected by 3:07 p.m.
“Thanks to their hard work overnight, isolated outages have already been restored, keeping power flowing for our community,” Austin Energy said.
Austin Energy said they prepare year-round for extreme weather. In the past week, crews have inspected equipment, communicated with customers and coordinated with the Texas Public Utility Commission and ERCOT.
ALSO | ERCOT assures readiness as icy conditions prompt weather watch for Texas power grid
Central Texas is under an ice storm warning through Sunday as temperatures dropped below freezing.
Forecasters expect widespread ice accumulation of around a quarter inch, with up to half an inch possible in the Hill Country.
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ERCOT issued a Weather Watch effective Saturday through Tuesday, citing winter storm conditions that will bring higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves. ERCOT said it will monitor conditions and “utilize all available tools and resources to maintain grid reliability.”