Citizens Electric customers without power reduced to 680; company hopes to have electricity fully restored by Thursday night

The number of Citizens Electric Cooperative members without power was 680 Wednesday morning, down from 1,097 at 6:38 p.m. Tuesday, utility spokeswoman Barbara Casper said. Casper said that Citizens Electric personnel, contracted tree crews and out-of-town linemen worked throughout the evening to restore electricity. The 108 outside professionals assisting Citizens Electric are from Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri.

Crews are targeting the Friedham and Yount areas and hope to complete work in those Missouri towns today, with the restoring power to all its members Thursday evening, weather permitting.

Casper said its crews have worked 16-hour days since Friday's storm knocked out power to its customers. At one point about 10,000 members were without electricity.