While the heat index has soared to temperatures of 115º this week, 169,000+ Columbus residents are without power.

How did this happen?

The outages came after large transmission lines were wiped out, and remaining lines were then overworked due to a combination of central Ohio storms and the severe heat.

When will power return?

While AEP is working to expedite the process of power renewal, it is predicted that homes and businesses in northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest Columbus will not regain power until midnight tonight. While some locations have temporarily regained power, they are still at risk of losing it again through tomorrow.

Locations in red circles have been impacted by AEP power outages | Screenshot via @AEPOhio

How can I stay cool?

AEP has provided a map that marks “cooling centers” for residents. Residents can find air conditioned areas by clicking the homes in the center of the map labeled “shelter.” The sheltered spots include the business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced free admission to Ohio’s pools today, and Columbus Recreation and Parks have extended the hours of operation for pools and spray grounds until 8 p.m. tonight at Blackburn Park, Linden, North Bank, and Scioto Southland.

How can we rally around the community?

As many local businesses have had to close due to the outages, it’s encouraged to continue to shop and buy local as power returns later this week.

As the heat continues throughout the summer, you can help by contributing to the “Beat the Heat” fan drive, which kicked off yesterday. Community members are encouraged to drop off fans throughout the summer at fire stations in Franklin County or at the LifeCare Alliance facility.