SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Utility crews continued working Wednesday, Feb. 25, to restore power across Delmarva after a powerful winter storm left more than 100,000 customers in the dark at its peak, disrupting communities across the state’s southern coast.
In Sussex County, some people spent days without electricity as crews from Delmarva Power and Delaware Electric Cooperative worked to repair downed lines and damaged equipment.
For many, the outage was more than an inconvenience.
"It really reveals your friends," said Elza Yarzinsky, from Georgetown. She described the experience as an opportunity to reconnect with neighbors and slow down.
"I think that’s a wonderful thing. Honestly, I believe all the challenges just bring us together and back to being humane and kind and thoughtful and more attentive to each other," said Yarzinsky.
Without electricity, she said, she embraced a quieter routine.
"It’s very rare that we have an opportunity to stay in and fully enjoy a change of weather," she said. "I also embrace an opportunity to read more and maybe use candles instead of the lights."
But not everyone shared that same experience.
Michael Stephanides, from Georgetown, said frigid temperatures forced him to leave his home for two nights with his dog.
"We actually had to go somewhere that did have power for the last two nights, because it was just too dang cold around here, and he can’t be in that weather," Stephanides said. "So we found a spot that did have power, actually. And we were sleeping there, but finally back."
As of Wednesday, Feb. 25, Delmarva Power reported that nearly 90 percent of its affected customers had service restored. Company officials said about 84,000 customers experienced outages during the storm.
For Delaware Electric Cooperative they reported restoring 95 percent of its impacted customers.
Along the coast in Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach, utility crews were seen repairing lines and restoring service neighborhood by neighborhood. Many people described the storm as one of the worst they have ever seen.