Around 40,000 households were left without power when the storm passed over northern and central Sweden on Saturday.
At 2 p.m. on New Year's Eve, 3,200 households were still without power, the lion's share of which was in Gävleborg County, according to electricity grid companies Ellevio and Eon. At the same time, SMHI has issued a red warning for parts of Gävleborg with heavy snowfall combined with wind on New Year's Day. This could affect the work of restoring power.
"This may mean poorer visibility and less opportunity to get around, but we are working on it and do not believe it will cause any major disruptions," says Sarah Östberg, press spokesperson at Ellevio.
Eon, with around 300 people without power in Västernorrland County and slightly more in Gävleborg, on Tuesday offered compensation for hotel accommodation to its permanent customers who were still without power after 10 a.m. on New Year's Eve.
On Wednesday, Ellevio, with 2,500 customers without electricity in Gävleborg, came out with the same offer.
“The nerve of life”
Mats Andersson in Trönö in Söderhamn municipality – in the middle of the area where SMHI has issued a red warning – is in its fourth day without power, reports P4 Gävleborg .
"It's clear that it's hard to be without electricity. It's your lifeblood, especially when you live like this and lose telephone communication as well. You're really at your mercy," he told the radio.
The biggest problem, however, is the lack of water, as the water supply relies on an electric pump that draws water from a well.
Opening sports halls
Bollnäs Municipality offers overnight accommodation to residents who need it. This involves simple beds or mattresses in a gym or sports hall.
The need for overnight accommodation is not known, says Anna-Karin Niemann, communications manager in Bollnäs.
"It's more like a contingency," she says.
The municipality has also opened sports halls to give residents access to showers.
In Hudiksvall and Ljusdal, among other places, facilities have also been opened so that people can warm up, shower and charge mobile phones.
