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Strong Winds Leave Many In Austin In The Dark


Strong winds put 18,000 Austin Energy customers in the dark at one point Monday. Repairs are still needed at several hundred locations. Dozens of businesses along Airport Boulevard near Lamar Boulevard are affected.

As of 10 p.m. Arpeggio Mediterranean Restaurant had been without power for five hours. 

Owner Fida Shah says they are using candles for lighting and cooking with a gas grill. However with the outside of the restaurant in the dark, very few people have come in.

"I would say 90 percent of the business we lost," said Shah.

His concern is that this will hurt them tomorrow, too.

"The worst part is the walk in cooler with all the food sitting there and we can't serve it tomorrow. It will put me out for two days," Shah said.

It's the same situation for the shell gas station down the street. It's only a few more hours until they will have to ditch their spoiled merchandise.

"Everything in here is a couple hundred dollars," said owner Mike Saleh.

And with no power means no gasoline and no credit cards.

"We have to do a little math when we are figuring out sales tax for cash transactions," said Saleh.

Austin energy has told the businesses it would take between two to six hours to restore the power.

We reached out to AE to ask why the company has so many issues during severe weather. A spokesperson has not returned our pages and calls.

By Christie Post