Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. crews are responding to numerous power outages in the Poconos and northeastern Pennsylvania caused by an accumulation of heavy, wet snow.

As of 11 a.m. Friday (12/6), 42,000 PP&L customers were without power across the company's service area. About 38,000 of those customers are in northeastern Pennsylvania.

PP&L crews have been working since about 3 a.m. Friday in response to damage calls and will work to restore service to all customers as quickly as possible. Crews already have restored service to more than 17,000 customers since the snow began falling.

"Heavy, wet snow weighs down tree limbs, causing them to fall on power lines," explained Robert M. Geneczko, PP&L vice president for Electrical Systems. "This type of storm results in a lot of downed wires and damaged electrical equipment."

PP&L is sending crews from Lancaster, Williamsport and other areas which received little or no snow, to northeastern Pennsylvania to help restore service. Because of the number of problems, PP&L expects to have service fully restored early Saturday morning.

Geneczko said any PP&L customer without power should call the company's toll-free number to report the problem. That number is 1-800 DIAL PPL (1-800-342-5775).

"We urge people not to wait for their neighbors or friends to call PP&L," he said. "The more information we have, the more accurately we can pinpoint the source of problems and fix them."

He also urged people to stay away from any downed wires, even if they appear to be "dead." People who see wires on the ground should call PP&L's toll-free number immediately, and keep others away from the area.

PP&L, a subsidiary of PP&L Resources, Inc., provides electric service to 1.2 million customers in 29 counties of central and eastern Pennsylvania.