Cause of massive power outage in Kenosha remains under investigation, but it could've been weather related

KENOSHA -- The heat was back on in Kenosha Thursday, January 4th after a major power outage. It happened just after sunset on Wednesday, as temperatures dipped into the single digits.

Crews Thursday were still working to determine the cause of the blackout that left people cold, in the dark and in some cases, pretty scared.

They may not have been apart for long, but Shelia Hall's reunion Thursday morning with her dog's Saiyon, felt like it had been months in the making.

"Oh yeah, I was crying. I couldn't stop thinking about him," Hall said.

Hall dropped off her diabetic chihuahua at Kenosha Lake Shore Veterinary Clinic Wednesday, so his vitals could be monitored overnight. It was a supposed to be a routine visit.

"We were driving and seeing that all the lights weren't on," Hall said. "And of course I was worried about him, so we drove by here and it was completely black here."

The animal clinic was among 19,000 We Energies customers that lost light and heat around 6:00 p.m. Officials with American Transmission Company said a major piece of its equipment that provides 138,000 volts of electricity to the community failed. A spokesperson said the cause is still unknown, though the cold weather was likely a factor.

"We had a time frame of about 7:30 that power might be restored. Then it was pushed back even further, further and further," said Lieutenant Horace Staples, director of emergency management.

Lt. Staples said the primary concern was the frigid temperatures. The city opened up three warming shelters for those in need, at Indian Trail Academy, Tremper High School and the Salvation Army.

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"We were operating very efficiently and I would have to say, if this were to happen in the future, we're more than ready to meet the needs of the public," said Staples.

Crews were ultimately able to restore power by 11:00 p.m., giving people and their pets peace of mind.

The Kenosha County sheriff said there were no reports of cold weather-related calls for service during the outage.