Despite scattered outages, We Energies says system working well

WAUWATOSA -- The extreme record-breaking heat on the Fourth of July and again on Thursday, July 5th brought with it power outages in several areas. However, We Energies said Thursday evening their crews out repairing outages and meeting the demand.

In Wauwatosa, 3,700 were without power Thursday afternoon near Highway 100 and Burleigh. We Energies says the outage was due to equipment failure and say they aren't sure whether it was related to the extreme heat.

We Energies spokeswoman Cathy Schulze said though there were scattered outages Wednesday and Thursday, most were resolved in a matter of hours.

"We did see some equipment issues, which could be heat related, but overall, our system has been performing very well," Schulze said.

Schulze said We Energies has made important upgrades over the last several years, which are helping the system meet the high demand for energy due to the extreme heat.

"We've invested in new power plants, and new transmission lines have gone up across the state. All of that has put us in a good position to meet that increased demand on days like today," Schulze said.

Maria Bella was one of thousands without power Thursday, and she and her grandchildren sought relief from the heat from their sprinkler outside.

Gracie Jones in Milwaukee was outside Thursday because she has rheumatoid arthritis, and says the air conditioning causes her pain. Her neighbor, Allen Madlock suffered a stroke last year and because he's on medication, he keeps his thermostat set to 68 degrees.

"I close all the blinds and keep it dark in the house. That keeps it cool," Madlock said.