More than 1,500 homes and businesses — and several D.C. government buildings — endured power outages all day Wednesday as temperatures climbed close to 100 degrees. The power outage began on Tuesday for many of the buildings north of Union Station near North Capitol Street when two underground cables failed. With the D.C. Public Schools headquarters down, school officials worked either at Eastern High School or at home.
The D.C. Department of Health, the D.C. Housing Authority, the Department of Human Services, and six more city agencies were affected, as well as the Community College of D.C. and J.O. Wilson Elementary School, both which canceled Wednesday classes.
Several government agencies also closed, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates electricity.
Pepco said a cooling center at Walker-Jones Education Campus would remain open until power was restored, which officials expected to be around midnight. – Lisa Gartner
