Just Over 14,000 Without Power In Mass.

Just over 14,000 Massachusetts electric customers are still without power after Tropical Storm Irene, but most are expected to be back on line before the holiday weekend.

National Grid reported Friday afternoon that about 12,800 customers are still without electricity, but expects 98 percent of its customers to have power by the end of the day.

NStar says about 1,500 of the homes and businesses it services remain without power late Friday afternoon. The utility has said it expects all customers to have power Friday night.

The utilities have been subject to intense criticism from politicians and homeowners who say response times were slow and outreach efforts to customers poor.

The companies have said Irene was an unusual weather event and their crews have been working around the clock.