As gusty winds and snow-laden tree limbs combine to pull down power lines in the Poconos and surrounding regions, PP&L, Inc. has revised its estimates of how long it will take for power to be completely restored.

"Some customers -- particularly in the Scranton and Honesdale areas-- are likely to remain without power until sometime Wednesday (12/31)," said Robert M. Geneczko, vice president of Power Delivery for PP&L.

"We've already restored power to 34,000 customers, but the damage from this storm is extensive and it will take some time to fix completely," he said. "Our crews are working around the clock."

Geneczko thanked customers for their patience and understanding. "For our employees, the reliability of your electricity supply is more than just a job -- it's a promise to you that we back up with action."

A total of 49 line crews were dispatched from PP&L regions to assist in the repair effort. They joined about 50 PP&L repair crews already working in Scranton, Honesdale, Bloomsburg and the Poconos to repair downed lines and damaged electrical equipment.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday (12/30), about 19,000 customers remained without power. "We expect to restore power for many of these customers by late tonight," Geneczko said.

He asked people to stay clear of downed or low-hanging wires, even if they appear to be "dead." He added that people also should stay away from trees that are in contact with power lines.

Customers without power should call PP&L's toll-free customer service number, 1-800-342-5775 (1-800 DIAL PPL). The company brought in additional staff to answer customer calls and questions.

PP&L reminds customers participating in Pennsylvania's customer choice pilot program to call 1-800 DIAL PPL for power outages, no matter which company they have selected as an energy supplier.