MOUNT VERNON — Power restoration is entering its final phases in the area as thousands of residents were restored to power over the weekend. Sunday marked one week since hurricane-force winds toppled trees, limbs and utility poles, severing power service to almost all of the county, regardless of service provider. Since then, crews have been working to repair lines and restore power.

As of 9 this morning, First Energy and the Consolidated Electric Cooperative were all reporting that their customers were 100 percent restored to power. The Energy Cooperative in Newark is also believed to have full restoration at this point, though a media representative could not be reached for confirmation.

AEP representative Vikki Michalski said AEP expected to have 99 percent of their Knox County customers back online by midnight tonight. As of 9:30 a.m., 1,170 AEP customers remained in the dark locally.

“Those last few are going to be ones where we find additional damage to property-owners’ hookups, which they’ll have to get repaired before we can restore power,” Michalski said.