Severe storms cause widespread power outages in Rochester, Minnesota

Severe storms in southeast Minnesota caused widespread power outages across several counties, including Olmsted, Mower, Winona, Wabasha, Dodge, and Goodhue. Early Wednesday morning reports indicated that nearly 7,600 people in the Rochester area were without electricity.

Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) reported that high winds caused significant damage, including downed trees, vegetation impacting lines, and damaged poles and electrical infrastructure. While RPU crews managed to reduce the number of outages to approximately 1,500 by later in the day, officials noted that the situation was not a “typical outage situation” due to the varying severity of the damage.

Other utility providers, including Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative and Xcel Energy, also reported outages affecting customers in the region. RPU has advised residents to follow food safety precautions, such as keeping refrigerator and freezer doors closed to maintain temperatures.