BGE says it hopes to restore power to 90% of customers by Thursday night

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore Gas and Electric said it hopes to restore power to 90% of customers by Thursday night after severe thunderstorms and strong winds on Tuesday knocked down trees and power lines.

As of Wednesday evening, 44,625 BGE customers remain without power following Tuesday's storms, including 18,399 Baltimore County households, 9,644 Harford County households and 6,959 Carroll County households.

As many as 114,000 households were without power during the peak of the storm early Tuesday evening.

The utility company said 800 workers, including some from other companies in other states, are helping with the cleanup.

Crews are staging at three sites across the region, the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, and BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport in Anne Arundel County.

"[D]ue to extensive damage from fallen trees, some equipment may not be accessible and repairs to damaged equipment may take longer than anticipated," the company said.

BGE warns residents not to touch any downed wires and to assume power lines are energized at lethal voltages.

Anyone wishing to report fallen electrical lines, power outages and gas odors can call BGE at 1-877-778-2222.