UPDATED: Empire electricity restored; CU efforts continue

That's down from about 2,400 who were without power Tuesday morning due to rounds of freezing rain and ice earlier this week.

Any Empire customers who are still without power should call (800) 206-2300. The Joplin-based utility has about 215,000 customers in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas.

As of 4 p.m., about 1,500 City Utilities customers remain without power, down from 11,000, and CU estimates electricity will be restored throughout its system by Saturday.

CU has 90 tree crews and 45 line crews working in 16-hour shifts. The utility has about 106,000 electric customers.

Another weather system predicted for later this week could delay restoration efforts, CU officials said.