Alliant hopes to restore Conger power by noon

Published 11:00 am Friday, February 21, 2014

CONGER — Residents of Conger spent Thursday evening without power.

An Alliant Energy spokesman said the company hopes to return electricity to Conger by noon.

The community was one of several without power overnight Thursday during a strong snowstorm that dumped almost 7 inches of snow on Albert Lea.

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Alliant Energy communities without power Thursday were Amboy, Conger, Garden City, Vernon Center, Frost, Wykoff, Fillmore.

The spokesman said all of the communities have power except Conger and Frost.

He said crews estimate power to return to Frost this afternoon.

Galloping power lines caused the original outage in Conger, he said, then wind caused a break and a fire. Crews had to return to fix the break.

He said repair crews were out all night and had trouble navigating roads, at times looking out the side windows.

Freeborn-Mower Cooperative Services, which serves rural residents mainly in Freeborn and Mower counties, also had crews out all night. A spokeswoman said one crew was stuck in a drift and had to wait for the snowplow to come.

She said the energy provider hopes to restore power to all properties by this evening.

She said almost 2,000 Freeborn-Mower customers were without power at one point Thursday night.

The company’s website said 944 were without power as of 11 a.m. Friday. Alliant Energy reported 218 out in Freeborn County and 14 in Mower as of 11 a.m. It reported 213 out in Faribault County.

About Tim Engstrom

Tim Engstrom is the editor of the Albert Lea Tribune. He resides in Albert Lea with his wife, two sons and dog.

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