CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A powerful spring storm system swept through Texas overnight Monday, bringing intense winds and heavy rainfall that left tens of thousands of AEP Texas customers in the dark across multiple counties.
Power outages are being reported this morning in Rockport, Beeville, Aransas Pass, Gregory-Portland, Sinton, Port Aransas, Kingsville, and other areas after Monday morning's rain.
Other areas experiencing power outages include Bayside, Alice, Mathis, Flour Bluff, the southside of Corpus Christi, and Chapman Ranch.
As of 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, approximately 20,600 customers were without electrical service throughout the AEP Texas service territory. This represents significant progress from the storm's peak impact, when outages reached 29,300 customers at 3 a.m. Monday morning.
The Corpus Christi District bore the brunt of the storm's impact, with roughly 16,250 customers still experiencing power outages as of early Tuesday morning. At the height of the storm, this region saw approximately 23,600 customer outages, making it the most severely affected area in the AEP Texas footprint.
AEP Texas crews have been working around the clock since the storm hit, focusing on restoring power as quickly and safely as possible. Utility dispatchers are actively switching circuits, isolating damaged sections, and redirecting electrical loads to bring customers back online.
"We will offer more updates today as daybreak offers our drone patrol teams additional light to inspect damage to our electrical facilities," stated AEP Texas officials on their website.
If you are without power, you can check the status by going here.
Several schools are experiencing a delayed start due to campus power outages:
- Dawson Elementary - School will begin at 9:50 AM
- Schanen Elementary - School will begin at 9:50 AM
- Welder Elementary in Sinton - School will begin at 9:50 AM
- Sinton High School - School will be delayed by 2 hours
AEP Texas urges all customers to remember the following safety guidelines:
- Consider any downed power line energized and dangerous. Do not touch anything in contact with the line, such as trees, fences, or puddles of water. Because of the likelihood that the storm may impact power lines, customers are asked to keep their children and pets inside during and after the storm. Also, stay at least ten feet away from any downed power line.
- Customers on life support systems or other medical equipment that rely on electricity are reminded to have a backup plan for situations where prolonged outages may occur.
- If you plan to use a portable generator, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Most, if not all, require that backup generators be located outside the home and away from open windows to prevent the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.
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