Gulf Power Company crews braved the wind and rain of Hurricane Isaac on Tuesday to restore power to almost 16,000 customers across Northwest Florida. 

More than 19,000 customers lost power at some point during the day and as of 9 p.m., 3,600 customers were without power. And, as Hurricane Isaac continues to come on shore, the utility warned that additional outages were likely.

“Today’s outages were fairly low until after 4 p.m., when we experienced more heavy wind and rain from Isaac,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “Through the night we expect there to be continued outages as the storm comes ashore.” 

Rogers thanked customers for their patience and their support.

"It's tough working in these conditions and we appreciate our customers' patience and understanding," said Rogers. "We will work as quickly and as safely as possible."

Gulf Power has more than 400 out of state workers helping with the effort. 

Customers can follow updates on Gulf Power’s Facebook page or Twitter feed: www.facebook.com/gulfpowercompany or www.twitter.com/gulfpower. To report an outage customers can call 1-800-487-6937. Customers can also report outages on their mobile phone at www.gulfpower.com. Just click the “Log In” button in the “My Account” box.

Gulf Power Company is an investor-owned electric utility with all of its common stock owned by Atlanta-based Southern Company. Gulf Power serves more than 430,000 customers in eight counties throughout Northwest Florida. The company’s mission is to safely provide exceptional customer value by delivering reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible electricity while strengthening our communities. Visit online at GulfPower.com or on the company’s Facebook page, “Gulf Power Company.”