When Ivan hit Selma Thursday, 18,500 people were without power.

Now, as of Sunday, in about three days time, that number has been halved, and now only 9,500 people are without power.

According to Jan Ellis, public relations officer for Alabama Power, the drastic change in restoration rates is due to the crews coming into the area.

“In addition to all of the personnel that normally works in Selma, we have brought in an additional 240 people,” she said.

This number has increased from 180 line crew members that Alabama Power brought in by Saturday.

“These guys have left their families to work and restore power for everyone else,” Ellis said.

Crews are currently working around the clock to restore power to the area, and will be in the coming days.

Right now, Alabama Power estimates that 99 percent of customers in the Selma area will have power by Thursday. Originally, after Ivan hit, the company believed that power wouldn’t be restored for two weeks, in what the company called its “worst case scenario.”

The work put in by Alabama Power hasn’t gone unnoticed. On Friday, Alabama Power crews averted a near disaster for North Dallas County Water,

when the power went out to the well pumps used to distribute water to the area.

In a nick-of-time situation, Alabama Power crews restored power to the pumps and prevented North Dallas customers from contending with water shortages.

“I think they (Alabama Power) did a wonderful job,” Dallas County EMA Director Brett Howard said. “They’re way ahead of schedule.”

Alabama Power is in the process of setting up an estimated restoration schedule on its automated phone system. For more information on when power will be restored, or to report problems, call 1-800-888-2726.