HOULTON – Maine Public Service Co. crews were working Sunday evening to find the cause of a power outage that affected at least eight towns in southern Aroostook and northern Penobscot counties.

According to state police, the outage began around 5:30 p.m. It apparently affected towns as far east as Hodgdon, as far north as Patten and Island Falls and as far south as Medway.

State police at Houlton reported receiving more than 50 calls. The temperature in the area about 6 p.m. Sunday was just 7 degrees.

Also reporting loss of power were residents from Grindstone Township, Smyrna, Oakfield and Sherman.

MPS crews were at the Mullen substation on the Ludlow Road in Houlton on Sunday evening, trying to find the source of the problem.

Bangor Hydro-Electric Co. also provides service to parts of Medway, although Hydro representatives reported that no Medway customers had called to report a loss of power.

Portions of the service area for Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative Inc. were also affected.