AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Energy customers who are still without power could be waiting even longer now, according to the utility company.
Judy Evans, whose husband relies on an oxygen machine, said she received information that her power should be back by Sunday, Feb. 12. “We have been out of power for six days and five nights,” she said.
Evans told KXAN that she’s been using her friend’s house with power to charge her husband’s oxygen machine.
“It is hard to watch someone you love struggle to breathe anyway, and it is even harder when you don’t have that power source,” Evans said.
Initially, she said she thought the power would come back on after a day or two and decided to wait, but now she and her husband plan on leaving town.
“I think people aren’t being informed correctly,” Evans said. “I think there should be a lot more transparency.”
Austin Energy does have a medically vulnerable registry, according to Austin Energy General Manager Jackie Sargent. She said, in emergencies, Austin Energy calls people on the list and is supposed to stop by to check on their customers. However, Evans, who said her husband is on the registry, claims she never received calls or a visit.
Evans is concerned there are other customers on the medically vulnerable registry that could also be going through what she’s dealing with now.
KXAN asked if there were any issues getting to people on the medically vulnerable list.
“We can look into that and if you can get her name to us, you can give that to [our spokesperson], and we will follow up with you,” Sargent said during a news conference Monday afternoon.
KXAN gave an Austin Energy official her number and was told they would call Evans.
Sargent said getting every customer’s power back is a priority.
MP Technologies, which is based in Cypress, is one of several outside agencies that have been helping Austin Energy get power back. Overall, there are about 1,000 people working to get power back on in Austin.
Craig Brooks with Austin Energy said when crews get their assignments, they meet before starting a job. He said some customers might see multiple Austin Energy trucks in a parking lot near a work site.
“When they get to their work location, they will find a place they can congregate and talk about the work they are about to perform,” Brooks said. “So when you see these trucks congregating in an area, they are having discussions on safety and the work they are about to do.”
Another concern that could delay work is the rain expected this week. Brooks said that can cause delays, but Austin Energy will have crews working around the clock to restore power to customers.