Businesses located in the Gulch area of Nashville are feeling frustrated after receiving notice from NES (Nashville Power Service) two weeks ago indicating a planned 10-hour-long power outage. The anticipated blackout is expected to begin at 9 p.m. and will affect both residential and commercial buildings. For some companies, the outage could result in a loss of business. Emily Williams, marketing manager for Pet Wants Nashville, stated that the loss of power may cost her store around $10,000 worth of cash. Not only is there concern for loss of revenue but there is also the worry of losing fresh pet products in their stock.
Williams and her team are coming up with strategies to minimize the negative economic impact. They are planning a sale at lower prices in a last-minute panic. “We need to buy a lot of coolers, which obviously won’t help sales,” she added. Some companies are questioning the decision to plan the outage overnight, expressing concern that it will not be beneficial to the customers or the businesses. There is also the issue of safety in the area. With the blackout set to affect elevators and air conditioning in some apartments, residents have raised safety concerns that may arise.
Inquiries were made by FOX 17 News regarding whether NES would compensate affected businesses and residents. NES’s response was that there would be no kind of refund or compensation offered. Williams stated that they had not been contacted by NES regarding any other concerns. “We haven’t heard anything, I think because a lot of people are contacting them about issues that will happen during those 10 hours,” Williams said.
In conclusion, businesses and residents located in the Gulch area of Nashville are worried after being given notice of a scheduled power outage by NES. The 10-hour-long blackout is expected to happen overnight and could result in a loss of income for some businesses and residents. NES’s decision to not offer compensation has left affected parties feeling unsettled.