11:00 PM UPDATE: TVA released a statement Wednesday evening that stated, “We have never experienced such a major weather event in our history.” The release states that at least 90 transmission lines, including 25 major 500 kilovolt lines, are currently down. In the interest of safety, TVA is waiting until Thursday morning to assess much of the damage. The release also states that the Widows Creek Fossil Plant in northern Alabama and the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens, AL were both down. The nuclear plant shut down safely.
Power could remain down in Starkville and Columbus at least until tomorrow morning, a TVA spokeswoman said, as the power provider surveys the extent of damage to its grid in the wake of severe storms.
Power went down across the Golden Triangle as tornadoes touched down to the north and south of Columbus. Power was out in Starkville, Columbus and West Point.
Emergency officials said that TVA was conducting an assessment, and it was unclear when power would return.
Officials said many areas in TVA”s service area from Amory south to Philadelphia were without power.
Widespread damage was reported from tornadoes in Smithville, Wren, Amory and Okolona in north Mississippi.
A TVA transmission line serving north Mississippi, or equipment at a TVA substation, were damaged during the storms. A TVA spokeswoman said confirmed that several transmission lines were down, but the extent of the damage would remain unclear until Thursday morning.
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