Villanova University will remain closed through Friday due to a power outage.
“The University’s power provider (PECO) projects an extended power outage in our region, which effects both power and heat on the campus,” said David Tedjeske, the school’s Director of Public Safety.
Tedjeske says the entire campus, including the Villanova Law School, will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
“We encourage all on campus resident students, who can travel safely, to return home,” Tedjeske said.
An emergency generator will be used for students and staff who are still on campus.
“An emergency generator has been located and will be installed in Dougherty Hall,” Tedjeske said. “Dougherty will therefore be fully heated and providing hot meals, water, snacks and takeaway food by sometime this evening. Students will also be able to recharge their phones and laptops in Dougherty.”
All buildings on the Villanova campus have emergency generators that provide emergency lighting and operate building fire alarm systems. Water, snacks and food will also be available at Dougherty Hall, which will stay open through the night.
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Public safety officers will remain on duty in on-campus residence halls while Resident Assistants will carry two-way radios for direct communication between campus residence halls and the Public Safety Department.
“We encourage students and families to stay in communication as the outage continues,” Tedjeske said. “The University will continue its efforts to restore power by attempting to obtain additional emergency generators, as well as to provide additional options for students who are unable to leave campus, should the outage continue beyond tonight.”
Villanova officials will provide updates for students and staff through their Nova Alert system. You can call the school’s Public Safety Department at 610-519-4444.
The outage at Villanova is only one of hundreds of thousands across the region due to an ice storm that slammed the area Tuesday night into Wednesday.
PECO Energy, the largest power provider in the Philadelphia region, tells NBC10.com outages are creeping toward 700,000 customers. Officials say that's record levels for a winter storm.
