More than 3,000 American Electric Power customers in and immediately around Ironton were without power as of press time Saturday, thanks to an equipment malfunction that affected much of the city’s eastern end.

“We had a transformer that failed,” AEP spokesman Takeysha Cheney said. “Unfortunately the problem was more involved than we originally thought.”

Cheney said it may be as late as 6 p.m. Sunday before service is completely restored.

Electricity service failed just after 11 a.m. Saturday, just as the heat and humidity began to kick into high gear.

Cheney said some mobile units are being brought in to service nursing homes in the affected area.