Thousands Remain Without Power as NES Works to Restore Service

Overnight storms leave parts of Nashville in the dark, causing frustration among residents waiting for electricity to return.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 11:21pm

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Overnight storms in Nashville left over 46,000 Nashville Electric Service (NES) customers without power, with the utility company working to restore service to the remaining 3,000 affected residents. Residents expressed concerns about food spoilage and the heat as they wait for their power to be restored, with NES expecting to have all outages fixed by midnight.

Why it matters

Power outages can have significant impacts on communities, causing disruptions to daily life, potential food and financial losses, and safety concerns, especially during extreme weather events. The ability of utility companies to quickly respond and restore service is crucial for minimizing the hardship on residents.

The details

The overnight storms left more than 46,000 Nashville Electric Service (NES) customers without power. NES has roughly 500 linemen working to restore service, and as of Friday afternoon, the number of affected customers had been reduced to under 3,000. Residents expressed concerns about food spoilage in their refrigerators and freezers, as well as the heat becoming a problem without air conditioning.

  • The overnight storms occurred on April 16, 2026.
  • As of Friday afternoon on April 17, 2026, the number of affected customers had been reduced to under 3,000.
  • NES expects to have all outages restored by midnight on April 17, 2026.

The players

Nashville Electric Service (NES)

The public electric utility company that provides power to the Nashville, Tennessee area.

Bill Stubbs

A Nashville resident affected by the power outage.

Jim Pedigo

A Nashville resident concerned about food spoilage due to the power outage.

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What they’re saying

“We're going to be losing food.”

— Unnamed Resident

“We're having to come out here in the front here to get some air. It's getting hot down there.”

— Bill Stubbs, Nashville Resident

“It's just hard for the power to be out. I hope it's not out for an extended period of time then you get into the freezer problems, having to deal with food in the refrigerator and freezer.”

— Jim Pedigo, Nashville Resident

What’s next

NES expects to have all outages restored by midnight on April 17, 2026.

The takeaway

This power outage highlights the importance of utility companies' ability to quickly respond and restore service during extreme weather events, as prolonged outages can have significant impacts on residents' daily lives and financial well-being.