"Utility crews are facing the unprecedented challenge of trying to restore power during a pandemic after violent storms tore through the South and up the East Coast.

Powerful systems that sparked floods and multiple tornadoes ripped through the South on Easter Sunday, leaving more than 30 people dead. The havoc left a trail of broken power poles and tangled wires, and more than 1 million homes and businesses without power.

That crews would be following ever-evolving safety protocols so as to not get sick or spread the coronavirus has added a layer of complexity to an already difficult job. Electric companies on Sunday and yesterday warned the extensive damage would warrant a multiday effort to get the lights back on."

Kristi E. Swartz, Peter Behr, and Edward Klump report for Energywire April 14, 2020. [2]