Power out for 300K Ohio customers days after storm

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — More than 300,000 customers remain without power in central and southwest Ohio as utility crews work to restore service interrupted by two rounds of weekend thunderstorms.

All but a few thousand are American Electric Power customers. Some have had no electricity since Friday evening, and the company has warned they might be in the dark through the end of the week.

AEP-Ohio President Pablo Vegas has pledged crews will work through the July Fourth holiday. AEP, which is a unit of American Electric Power Co., said that Friday's storm was Ohio's worst since the state was battered by the remnants of Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Ohio is under state and federal emergency declarations. National Guard members were expected Tuesday to continue visiting residents in hard-hit Columbus and Dayton areas to check on those who might need help.