In a dramatic turn of events, residents of western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming found themselves in the dark on Thursday afternoon, following a widespread power outage that left homes, businesses, and vital services grappling with its effects. Although the disruption stemmed from a third-party incident on the regional transmission system, it was not linked to Black Hills Energy’s operations, casting a shadow of uncertainty across the affected areas.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, residents and business owners in Rapid City, South Dakota, were left dealing with the fallout. The outage could potentially linger into the early hours of the next day, Black Hills Energy warned, with an optimistic restoration time pegged at 10 PM. Efforts were already underway to restore power, with crews working tirelessly across the region.
“The mayor was in contact with Black Hills Energy officials as soon as the outage took place,” noted Rapid City Spokesman Darrell Shoemaker, highlighting the swift actions taken by city officials to mitigate the impact on local residents.
The initial signs of chaos were evident as the traffic lights ceased to function, leading to an unmistakable gridlock at busy intersections. This necessitated the rapid deployment of police officers and deputies to manage traffic flow. They urged motorists to approach unlit intersections as four-way stops, a plea that was critical in maintaining order amid the confusion.
The outage also led to several emergency situations, with reports of people stuck in elevators, including an unsettling incident at City Hall. “We had a lot of reports of people stuck in elevators, in fact, we had someone at city hall that was stuck in the elevator, but they were quickly rescued if you will,” said Shoemaker.
Adding to the inconvenience, the city’s rapid transit system was temporarily suspended, while the public library and courthouse were both evacuated. A popping sound and smoke reported at the courthouse prompted the Rapid City Fire Department’s response, and officials later decided to keep the facility closed for the day.
Downtown businesses bore the brunt of the power disruption. The owners of Tandoor Bocado restaurant and 6throne Barbershop faced halted operations. Jarred Bren, owner of Tandoor Bocado, expressed his frustrations: “We can’t prep the food that we need for tonight, so that’s another setback. We’ve got all the refrigeration doors shut so we can wait until the power comes back to have those power up, but we have to have them shut for now.”
Philip Thomas
Adaptation was key for some. At 6throne Barbershop, barber Philip Thomas took his operation outdoors, ensuring customer appointments were honored. “Power’s out everywhere we’re pretty loyal to our clients, man, these guys book these appointments a couple weeks out so nothing’s gonna stop us out here. Lights are off in the shop, but lights are on in the world, so we gotta get out here and cut hair,” he said with determination.
As the community awaited the restoration of power, the incident reminded many of the reliance on electrical infrastructure—a crucial component of modern living and a staple in the economic vitality of regions like South Dakota. The state’s resilience, notably among the people of Rapid City, shone through as they coped with the challenges the blackout presented.
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