NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Jerry Bone has spent 38 years getting the lights back on in Nashville. As the owner of Westside Electric Service, he doesn't measure time by calendars — but by outages.
This late January, Middle Tennessee weathered another historic freeze, 32 years after the devastating ice storm of 1994. For Bone, who lived through both storms as a licensed electrician, the similarities are striking — but so are the differences.
"I got my first call at four o'clock in the morning, thought I heard fireworks, and it was a tree snapping outside my house in Bellevue," Bone said.
The 2026 storm hit a much larger, busier Nashville than the one that faced the 1994 ice storm. More homes, more power lines, and far more people depending on them have made the job of restoring power significantly heavier.
"The growth definitely affected us," Bone said. "There are a lot of areas built out that weren't built out in '94."
Once the first line fell in January, thousands followed — homes went dark, wires came down, and time blurred together for electrical crews across the region.
"Two weeks of a blur, and we're still running down the list," Bone said.
The recent storm has highlighted ongoing confusion about who is responsible for what when power goes out. Nashville Electric Service handles the power grid, but homeowners are responsible for everything on their property.
"NES would say, we cannot attach the meter back to the house. You've got to call electricians," Bone said.
The line between city power and private responsibility is sharper than most realize. Bone is responsible for meter bases, disconnects, conduit risers, and weather heads — everything from the pole to the house except the meter itself.
"This is all NES gives you. They give you this, the meter, and I give you the wire from the pole to the house. The rest is on you," Bone said.
Once repairs are completed, homeowners still need an emergency release from Metro Codes — another step that can keep the lights off longer.
Bone's team has responded to about 75 calls in the last few weeks, and as of today, the calls are still coming in.
His advice for avoiding damage in future ice storms is simple: "Keep the trees trimmed."
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During a week when it seems that frustration is the prevailing sentiment felt across middle Tennessee amid ongoing power outages, Forrest Sanders brings us a story of love, faithfulness and a remarkable family... plus, a little humor on the side. Enjoy!
- Carrie Sharp
