East Plano residents brace for another day without power

Oncor has issued an advisory stating that approximately 70,000 customers remain without power, with restoration efforts possibly extending until Saturday. The hardest-hit areas, including North Dallas, East Dallas, and Mesquite, are experiencing delays in restoration work due to ongoing storms.

As of 5 p.m. on Friday, around 3,800 Oncor customers in Collin County are without power, while Dallas County reports approximately 58,000 outages. In neighborhoods like those off East Park Boulevard in East Plano, residents have been coping with power loss since Tuesday, resulting in inconveniences such as sleeping in hot living rooms and relying on outside sources for meals.

For individuals like Moira Foerster and her daughter Diana, who lost about $400 worth of groceries during the outage, the situation is particularly challenging. They are keeping receipts in hopes of reimbursement while dealing with the discovery that lightning struck a nearby power pole, further prolonging their power loss.

Nancy Deaton, another affected resident, expressed frustration and concern, especially for her husband who suffers from Alzheimer’s. The toll of the week’s events, both emotionally and physically, has been heavy for her and many others in the community.

While Oncor acknowledges the difficulties faced by customers, particularly those with medical needs, they advise individuals to prioritize safety during power outages. They offer a Critical Care or Chronic Condition designation for customers with medical conditions, though it does not guarantee uninterrupted power supply, especially during severe weather. Customers relying on electricity for medical devices are urged to have contingency plans in place, such as portable generators or alternative accommodations.