Old Town Alexandria hit by sudden power outage affecting 2,000 customers
A power outage struck Old Town Alexandria early this morning, leaving nearly 2,000 homes and businesses without electricity. The disruption began around 10 a.m., with Dominion Energy initially estimating restoration between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The main affected area stretched from S. Fayette Street to the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Three transformers failed near King and N. West Street, while downed power lines were reported on Prince Street. Danielle Romanetti, owner of fibre space, described hearing three loud explosions just before the blackout.
Dominion Energy's outage map confirmed 1,998 customers were impacted, though the exact cause remained under investigation. Despite the transformer issues, official reports later clarified that no transformers were damaged or destroyed across Alexandria. As traffic signals went dark, Alexandria Police stepped in to direct vehicles at key intersections. By 5 p.m., Dominion Energy's map showed no remaining outages in Old Town, indicating full power restoration.
The outage lasted around seven hours, disrupting daily routines for residents and businesses. With power now restored, the focus shifts to determining the root cause of the transformer failures and downed lines.
