400 Without Power Weeks After Winter Storm

BISMARCK, N.D. – The power outages in the Dakotas caused by storms late last month are now down to only a few hundred rural electric customers.

Spokeswomen estimate about 250 households without power in South Dakota and about 65 still in the dark in North Dakota. At the peak of the outages, more than 20,000 people in the two states were without electricity.

South Dakota Rural Electric Association spokeswoman Brenda Kleinjan says damage in that state has topped $10 million. North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven says the Federal Emergency Management Agency has agreed to begin damage assessments in that state.

Both Dakotas are seeking presidential disaster declarations to clear the way for federal aid.