Danville Utilities and contract line crews are working to restore power service to all customers following the severe thunderstorm that moved across the area around 4 p.m. Thursday.
As of 9:30 a.m. Friday, about 1,000 customers remained without power. Crews expect to have all service restored by 9 p.m.
Initially, it appeared as if the storm’s high winds and heavy rain knocked out electricity service to about 1,200 customers, but the damage proved to be more widespread as Danville Utilities received reports of additional outages.
The outages were scattered until 2:30 a.m. Friday when an oak tree fell on Memorial Drive at the intersection with West Main Street, taking down a transmission pole that carried a major line between the Schoolfield and Riverside substations. The damage created an outage for about 700 customers. Crews worked overnight, and service has been restored to some of the customers, but a portion of the area there will be without power until the pole is replaced. The pole replacement will take several more hours.
Danville Utilities cautions residents to never approach or touch anything that comes into contact with a downed power line. No matter how harmless a downed wire may appear, it should be considered energized and dangerous. Report all downed power lines to Danville Utilities at (434) 773-8300.
Danville Utilities provides natural gas, water, wastewater and telecommunications services in Danville and distributes electricity to approximately 42,000 customer locations in a 500-square-mile service territory covering Danville, the southern third of Pittsylvania County, and small portions of Henry and Halifax counties.