Xcel Energy crews leave Minnesota to help with power outages in West Virginia caused by snowstorms from Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Steve Strom / FOX 9 News.
Xcel Energy sends Minnesota crews to Sandy-stricken W. Va.More>>
Tuesday, October 30 2012 10:55 PM EDT2012-10-31 02:55:29 GMT
Some of the best Hurricane Sandy pictures and photos of the effects of the East Coast superstorm.
After lashing the Atlantic coast and submerging parts of New York City with 13 feet of water, the core of Superstorm Sandy is beginning its sweep across Pennsylvania and upstate New York, with its effects spreading as far west as Wisconsin and Illinois.
NEWPORT, Minn. (KMSP) -
Xcel Energy is sending equipment, along with 36 workers from Minnesota and another eight from western Wisconsin, to some of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy and the East Coast superstorm.
The Minnesota and Wisconsin crews will go to West Virginia, where people are dealing with 2 to 4 feet of snow and widespread power outages. American Electric Power Co. specifically asked for Xcel Energy crews, who have experience dealing with snowstorm damage.
"This is a real testament to the skill and work ethic of our employees," said Judy Poferl, president and CEO of Northern States Power Co.-Minnesota. "We helped AEP this past summer working to restore power in 100-plus degree weather. Now it appears that our crews will be dealing with 2 to 4 feet of snow and heavy damage -- in other words, conditions our crews are well acquainted with."
Utility crews will work 16 hours per day for the next two weeks, at minimum.
"You can't always get the trucks to the job, so then you're hoofing it through the snow, up the sides of hills, so it can be tough," said foreman Dan McIntyre, making his fifth deployment for storm damage assistance.
Xcel Energy crews leave Minnesota to help with power outages in West Virginia caused by snowstorms from Hurricane Sandy. Photo by Steve Strom / FOX 9 News.
