NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Severe weather, including strong wind gusts, thunderstorms, and lightning, has left thousands of Nashville residents without power Thursday evening. According to the Nashville Electric Service (NES), over 16,000 customers were affected by outages, with that number continuing to rise as the storm intensified.
By 5:45 p.m., NES reported a significant uptick in outages, reaching 16,000 homes and businesses without power. The company issued a warning via social media, cautioning that wind gusts could reach up to 60 miles per hour, accompanied by heavy rain and lightning. NES urged customers to report outages immediately and emphasized the importance of staying away from downed power lines and damaged electrical equipment.
At 6:48 p.m., NES confirmed they were responding to more than 15,000 outages across the city. The utility provider reiterated its safety warning, urging the public to avoid any interaction with fallen power lines or damaged infrastructure until authorities had cleared the area.
In addition to the power outages, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a ground stop at Nashville International Airport. This ground stop, which halted departures and arrivals, was attributed to the ongoing thunderstorms and was expected to last until 6:45 p.m. Thursday. Travelers are advised to check with airlines for updates on flight statuses.
For those experiencing power outages, NES has provided several ways to report the issue. Customers can call the hotline at 615-223-4000, text “OUT” to 637797, or log into their NES account to report the outage. The utility also encouraged residents to stay updated on the situation through its official website and social media platforms.
As the storm continues to affect the region, local authorities are monitoring the situation and working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and prepared for ongoing weather-related disruptions.
