Problem happens at substation on broadway

More than 800 Alliant Energy customers were without power in Albert Lea Monday afternoon, including several customers downtown.

The outage started with a problem at the company’s substation off of Broadway Avenue, said Alliant Energy spokesman Justin Foss. The company has been upgrading the substation this summer.

J.D. Carlson, deputy director of police with the Albert Lea Police Department, estimated the outage began at about 3 p.m.

The outage caused one person to be stranded in an elevator at the Lofts at Lea Center, according to initial reports. The person was safely evacuated with the help of Albert Lea firefighters.

Foss said 821 customers were without power at about 4 p.m., including the Alliant Energy office downtown and Albert Lea City Hall.

The outage affected customers on Broadway, Main Street, College Street, Washington Avenue and Clark Street, to name a few.

Carlson said street lights at the intersections of Broadway and Main Street, Main Street and Newton Avenue, Broadway and College Street, and Fountain Street and West Avenue were out during the outage.

As of 6:15 p.m., power was restored.