News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Utility crews will get a weather reprieve Saturday as they try to restore power to more than 5,000 Upper Cumberland residents who remain without power.
Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said UCEMC crews reduced outages to about 2,300 Friday. Power restoration efforts continue in Silver Point, Dodson Branch, Algood, Buck/Brotherton Mountain, Baxter, Martin Creek, Bloomington Springs, Old Baxter Rd, Boma and Double Springs.
Three-phase lines have been restored across Putnam, Overton and Jackson Counties. Now crews are focused on single outages.
Some 2,000 customers remain without power in Overton County with the Allons area being the area most impacted. Work continues in those areas as well as Willow Grove. Right-of-way crews provided major assistance Friday in clearing trees.
In Jackson County, the Saturday work will begin with about 960 outages. The York Highway area continues to be one of the hardest hit areas according to County Mayor Randy Heady.
Volunteer Energy reports its power outages have been reduced to less than 20 in Fentress County.
Tree experts said there could be more falling limbs and branches Saturday as ice begins to melt on trees causing weight shifts. Temperatures are expected to be above freezing for the first time all week in some areas. More important, sunshine will return providing solar energy to assist in the melting. Temperatures will reach the 50s Sunday.
