RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) -
It's been nearly a week since those storms knocked out power to more than a million Virginians, but the number of people living without power is getting closer to zero.
Crews have been working around the clock in this heat to get electricity back on.
As of Wednesday morning, a Central Virginia Electric spokesperson says crews lost some ground when a line of storms came through.
1,700 of their customers are without power right now.
As of 7:00 a.m. Wednesday Dominion Virginia Power reports that about 8,000 people are still without power in the Richmond-Tri Cities area.
For Rappahanock Electric that number is closer to 2,000.
New Kent has declared a local state of emergency.
The New Kent County High School is now a shelter. It's open from 2:00 in the afternoon to 6:00 in the morning. Showers are available. No pets, except service animals are allowed.
There is also a cooling station at the fire station on Courthouse Road.
The city of Richmond will continue to leave the cooling shelters open until Friday.
From 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Southside Community Services Center on Hull Street and the Department of Social Services on East Marshall Street will be open.
In plus 90-degree weather, utility workers will wear on about 70 lbs. of gear. And it can take several hours to turn power back on for one neighborhood.
Some workers say it's far more exhausting to work in the heat, than in the winter.
We will keep you updated throughout the day on the number of power outages affecting our area.
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