Dive Summary:

• Xcel, the largest utility serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin, has combated massive power outages after three waves of severe storms hit the region Friday morning and continued through Saturday.
• "The level of power outages caused by this succession of storms is one of the highest we've ever faced," Dave Sparby, president and CEO of Xcel subsidiary Northern States Power-Minnesota, said in a news release.
• More than 500,000 of the utility's customers in Minnesota and western Wisconsin were affected at the height of the power outages, Xcel Energy said. And 75,000 were still without power as of Sunday, which saw another wave of bad weather. Xcel estimates power will be totally restored by Wednesday.

From the article:

“Kent Larson, senior vice president of operations for Xcel Energy, said Xcel line crews from throughout the Upper Midwest and Colorado were in the field along with crews from other utilities. He said they will work 16-hour shifts until all power is restored.”