Sun Jun 29 05:40:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
**News Article:**
**Thousands Left in the Dark After Summer Storms Hit the Midlands**
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sudden summer thunderstorms knocked out power to thousands of homes across the Midlands on Wednesday, leaving residents sweltering in the heat and utility companies scrambling to restore service.
Many residents experienced hours without electricity, with some waiting more than 24 hours for power to be restored. Columbia resident Courtney Peacock-Wolfe described sleeping on her porch to escape the stifling heat inside her home after a transformer blew near her property.
Dominion Energy confirmed that lightning strikes were the primary cause of the outages. Company spokesperson Matt Long explained that damage affecting individual customers can slow down restoration efforts, and encouraged customers to report outages multiple times if necessary.
Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative also reported outages in Lexington County, with restoration times ranging from five to six hours for some customers. President and CEO Bob Paulling emphasized the company’s ongoing efforts to improve grid resilience, including considering burying power lines in areas prone to frequent outages. However, Paulling cautioned that underground lines can be vulnerable and costly to repair, and the expense of such projects would ultimately be borne by customers.
As unpredictable weather is expected to continue throughout the summer, utility companies are urging residents to stay informed and promptly report any power outages.
**(Note: The initial instructions on how to stream WLTX 19 on a phone was omitted, as that would not typically be included in a news article about power outages.)**
First Piper 