Nebraska Public Power District is dealing with a large number of power outages across the state due to the thunderstorms Friday night and Saturday morning.

A 345 kilovolt transmission line between Grand Island and McCool was seriously damaged with 84 structures broken or are on the ground. Transmission line wire is also on the ground near the Aurora exit on I-80 and as a result has slowed traffic to a crawl on Interstate 80 and Highway 14 and created a large backup.

Beginning at 10 a.m. NPPD transmission crews will be working with the Nebraska State Patrol to allow crews to remove the wire from the road and return traffic to normal conditions. The transmission line is also laying on power line operated by local rural public power districts and NPPD will be working with those utilities.

A transmission line has also fallen across Union pacific tracks so train traffic has been halted at this time.

Communities served by NPPD that saw power outages included:

Plattsmouth – approximately 3300 customers

McCook – approximately 2100 customers

Aurora – approximately 800 customers

Kearney- approximately 1300 customers

Meadow Grove – 191 customers

Tilden- approximately 800 customers

NPPD crews from throughout the state have been called in to assist local crews.

We will continue to monitor the status of restoration throughout the day and will send out an update later this afternoon.