Technology and Science15 March, 20263 min read
Storm Knocks Out Power for 107,000 AEP Customers in Ohio
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
More than 107,000 AEP Ohio customers were without power in central Ohio. Franklin County accounted for about 70,000 outages, the largest concentration.
Storm Overview
The powerful windstorm that swept through Ohio on March 13, 2026, caused extensive power outages. More than 107,000 AEP customers were left without electricity across central Ohio. According to The Columbus Dispatch, Franklin County was particularly hard hit with nearly 70,000 customers experiencing outages.
“More than 107,000 AEP customers in central Ohio were without power as of late afternoon March 13 – including nearly 70,000 in Franklin County – as high winds pummeled much of the state.”
WSYX reported that as of Saturday morning, approximately 245,000 customers remained without power. Jang confirmed that over 107,000 AEP customers in central Ohio were affected. 'The damage to electric infrastructure across the 61 counties we serve is the worst since the 2012 derecho,' AEP reported.
County Impacts
Across Ohio, the storm's impact varied by county but was consistently severe. In Knox County, Your Ohio News reported approximately 12,000 residents remained without power as of noon Saturday. The Columbus Dispatch detailed that Delaware County had just over 15,000 customers without power.
Licking County reported over 17,000 customers affected, particularly in Newark and Granville areas. Fairfield County almost 5,400 customers lost electricity, as shown on AEP's outage map.
WSYX noted that Franklin County had the largest number of outages with approximately 50,000 affected. Cuyahoga County near Cleveland had about 43,000 customers without power.
Wind Severity
The windstorm brought unprecedented wind speeds to Ohio, with some areas experiencing gusts that reached extreme levels. According to The Columbus Dispatch, wind gusts of up to 85 mph were reported in Cleveland. Wind gusts of 80 mph were reported at locations in west central and north central Ohio.
“Gusts of 77 mph were reported in the Dayton area, up to 80 mph were reported at locations in west central and north central Ohio, and Cleveland reported a gust of 85 mph.”
The Dayton area reported wind gusts of up to 77 mph. WSYX confirmed that wind gusts peaked at 70 mph, causing damage that AEP described as the worst since the 2012 derecho. The high winds sent trees, heavy limbs, and debris tearing through power lines and snapping utility poles throughout the night.
John Glenn International Airport recorded a gust of 67 mph at 3:10 p.m. The Ohio Department of Transportation noted multiple incidents of trucks being blown over.
Restoration Response
Utility companies and emergency crews mounted a massive response to restore power to affected communities. WSYX reported that as of Saturday morning, electricity had been restored to approximately 80,000 customers. With 245,000 still without power, a major logistical operation was underway.
More than 2,700 personnel were in the field conducting damage assessments and providing restoration estimates. Additional teams from sister companies and national partners were en route to assist in the recovery. AEP crews were working specifically on the Canal Winchester substation, which sustained significant structural damage.
AEP could not provide an estimate on when power would be fully restored due to ongoing high winds. The high winds made it too risky for personnel to repair downed lines at times.
Restoration Timeline
While restoration efforts continued, utility providers began providing more specific timelines for power restoration in hardest-hit areas. WSYX reported that most customers in Canal Winchester were expected to have service restored by early Saturday afternoon. Crews remained deployed across all service territories in the Greater Columbus Area.
“Canal Winchester: Most customers in this area are expected to have service restored by early Saturday afternoon. Greater Columbus Area: Crews remain deployed across all service territories.”
AEP emphasized that work would continue around the clock until power was returned to every customer. The National Weather Service allowed the high wind warning to expire for most Ohio counties as winds weakened. The warning remained in effect for eastern Ohio counties of Coshocton, Guernsey, Muskingum, Noble, and Tuscarawas.
As of noon Saturday, AEP of Ohio reported nearly 6,000 customers in Knox County still without power. Energy Coop reported another 1,500 customers affected in the same area.