We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) crews have restored power to more than 73,000 customers after widespread severe weather whipped across Wisconsin on Wednesday. The destructive storms knocked out power to nearly 160,000 We Energies and WPS customers across Wisconsin.

Communities around the Fox Valley and Green Bay are those hardest hit by the storms. Customers in these areas should be prepared for a multi-day restoration effort.

We Energies and WPS crews are finding substantial damage, as there have been more than 1,000 reports of downed trees, snapped power lines, broken utility poles and trees falling into our equipment. Crews from both companies also are encountering roads blocked by the extensive damage.

All available crews, including workers from across the Midwest, will be working around the clock to repair the outages caused by these severe storms.

Customers are strongly urged to stay at least 25 feet away from any downed wires, and report the downed wire to their energy company or a local law enforcement agency immediately. Customers can receive the latest information on their outage on the We Energies and WPS apps, or at we-energies.com and wisconsinpublicservice.com.