Update: Power restored on parts of campus following day-long power outage

Update at 9:13 a.m. Sunday: "Due to the tireless efforts of the University Facilities personnel, the failed campus power line has been replaced. At this time, power to campus is restored to all affected buildings," according to an email from University Communications. 

Update at 7:48 p.m.: University administrators have connected generators to Westhampton Hall and South Court, a university spokeswoman wrote in an email.

Original Story: Several major academic buildings and residence halls on University of Richmond's campus remain powerless and some students will not be permitted to sleep in their rooms Friday night after a power line failure occurred late Thursday night.

The following campus buildings were impacted by the power outage, according to an email from university communications: Westhampton Hall, South Court, Modlin Center, Booker Hall, Keller Hall, Visual Arts Building, Jepson Alumni Center, and the Web.

The residents of Keller Hall received an email at about 5:30 p.m. Friday informing them that due to the lack of power, they would not be permitted to stay in the building overnight.

The Westhampton College Deanery Living Room and the Whitehurst Living Room will be opened for residents that need a place to sleep, and mattresses and air mattresses have been moved to these locations, according to the email from Elena Brooks-Perkins, Westhampton College area coordinator.

"All residents will be able to access the building during the day time to retrieve personal items/ etc., but are not permitted to sleep in the building until power is fully restored," the email reads.

A resident assistant in Keller emailed the residents that his boss told him "that our building will be experiencing an extended power lack for most of the weekend."

Brianna Cicconi, who lives in a triple in the basement of Keller, said the power outage has made it difficult to see. "Even during the middle of the day it's extremely dark and you can't see much," she said. The university, however, has provided residents with flashlights.

An email sent to residents at about 11:30 a.m. Friday informed them that generators would be added to South Court and Westhampton Hall. The generators "will provide emergency lighting, heat, and warm water later today, but this not provide overhead lighting or power to outlets, and a resident in South Court said the building had been equipped with a generator," the email reads. A resident of South Court said the residence hall had been equipped with a generator.

University Administrators did not immediately respond to emails or phone calls.

Editor's note: We will update this story as we receive more information. If you have any information to provide, please email collegianstories@gmail.com

Contact editor-in-chief Jack Nicholson jack.nicholson@richmond.edu