“font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;”>NEW YORK —

Utilities scrambled Monday to restore power to more than 4 million

customers still left in the dark by Hurricane Irene. Power

companies already have the lights back on for almost half the 8

million homes and businesses that lost electricity over the

weekend

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NEW YORK — Utilities scrambled Monday to

restore power to more than 4 million customers still left in the

dark by Hurricane Irene. Power companies already have the lights

back on for almost half the 8 million homes and businesses that

lost electricity over the weekend.

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But in areas of severe damage, it could

take weeks for power to be fully restored.

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Repair crews have struggled to get

around uprooted trees, broken bridges and flooding left by

Irene.

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The storm smashed power poles, ripped

transmission wires and flooded electrical stations over thousands

of square miles as it whipped north from South Carolina to

Maine.

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Most of damage came from downed trees.

At least 38 people in 11 states died in the storm.

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Northern cities were still surveying the

damage.

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The storm ranks among the worst in terms

of power outages.

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Vermont experienced the worst flooding

in generations. Parts of New Jersey were cut off by swollen rivers.

Half of Connecticut Light & Power customers were in the

dark.

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“This is just unprecedented,” the

Connecticut utility’s spokesman, David 

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>Radanovich,

said. “The largest storm we’ve ever 

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As 750,000 of the utility’s customers

lost power over the weekend, Connecticut Light & Power

requested outside help. About 200 to 300 additional crews are

headed to the state.

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Utilities say they’ll first repair

damaged lines that power hospitals, jails, emergency call centers

and other critical services. They’ll try to get the lights on in

public schools before the fall semester begins. Other repairs will

need to wait. Elaine 

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>Shecker found

a tree across her driveway when she returned to her house in Media,

Pa., just outside of Philadelphia.

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The power company said it might be three

more days before the electricity gets

restored. 

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>Shecker wasn’t

complaining.

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“We feel lucky to have a house,” she

said. “This storm killed 

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Public Service Electric and Gas Company,

New Jersey’s largest utility, said several thousand homes lost

power when electrical substations were flooded.

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Those stations will remain offline until

crews can pump out the water and dry the equipment.

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“That takes days,” PSE&G spokeswoman

Karen Johnson said.

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“The flooding is kind

of 

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In Vermont, hundreds of people were

ordered to evacuate as streams and rivers rose above their

banks. 

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>Gov.

Peter

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>Shumlin called

it the worst flooding in a century.

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More than

37,000 

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>Vermonters were

without power Monday, and officials said it could take weeks for

power to come back.

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“In many places, we can’t even get to

the damage,” said Joe Kraus, operations chief at Central Vermont

Public Service.

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Across the East Coast, power companies

said most of the damage came from trees that smashed into

transmission lines and other electrical equipment.

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“Just lots of trees down,” said

Linda 

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>Foy,

a spokeswoman with Baltimore Gas & Electric. “We’ve got whole

trees knocked into equipment; large limbs the size of small trees

hanging on power 

“list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial;”>lines.”

• Chris Kahn & Jonathan Fahery Associated Press