Power partially restored at MSP after flight delays

Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport
People stand in security lines at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Minneapolis in a file photo from 2008.
AP File Photo/Andy King

Power has been partially restored at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport after a 9 ½-hour outage that caused flight delays and cancellations.

Airport spokeswoman Melissa Scovronski says power was restored to three of the four affected concourses in the main terminal around 6:30 p.m. Saturday The outage occurred around 8 a.m. Jetways were left inoperable at 63 gates, causing Delta Air Lines to cancel an unspecified number of flights.

Scrovonski said workers haven't found the cause of the outage but know what needs to be fixed. However, she said they don't know how long that fix will take.

Scrovonski says backup generators are providing some lighting in critical areas.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

"The lights are just for -- for instance, if you're in the aircraft and the lights light up on the ground, that's the type of lighting its really for," she said. "The ability to get up and down the concourse and be able to see. There's really no reason for anyone to be out there at this point because there's no aircraft being deplaned or in-planed at this point. So mostly what you're seeing out there is staff doing what they need to do."

Passengers who were on planes have been taken off those planes and moved to areas of the airport that still have power.

An airport statement says Delta predicts approximately 500 passengers may remain in the terminal overnight due to flight cancellations.

Concourse B remained without power Saturday evening, which may affect some regional flights Sunday morning.

Anyone flying Delta or its affiliates is advised to contact Delta prior to coming to the airport.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)