AUSTIN (KXAN) — Power has been restored to all but one customer after a power outage in downtown Austin on Thursday afternoon, Austin Energy reports.
Areas of downtown Austin were without power Thursday after an Austin Energy feeder was damaged during work in the vicinity of Red River Street.
Crews are now working at the intersection of 18th and Colorado Streets. Austin Energy told KXAN there was smoke coming from a manhole at the location, which was coming from an arc flash. Additionally, Austin Energy says the crew that was working when the feeder became damaged was a non-Austin Energy crew.
Austin Energy said it was making repairs and while it said it hoped to restore power by 1:30 p.m. and then 2:30 p.m., it said at 2:50 p.m. it needed more time to make repairs. At 4:30 p.m. it said it was gradually bringing customers back online.
“At this time, no injuries associated with this incident have been reported. As always, Austin Energy will be working as swiftly and safely as possible to restore power,” the agency said.
Austin Energy says the general perimeter of the power outage is from 11th Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Rio Grande Street to Red River Street.
Blake Hawthorne, clerk at the Texas Supreme Court, says a power surge interrupted power at the court and the Office of Court Administration. Their phones and website are down, but they can still process filings and receive email.
The outage caused the University of Texas at Austin’s Human Resources Office to close for the remainder of the day.
In a tweet, Austin Energy said:
“Thank you to everyone for being patient with us today. Even though the power is back on, our crews will continue working through the night to make all the necessary repairs.”