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DIA Closed Due To Blizzard Conditions

DENVER (CBS4)- Denver International Airport was closed on Wednesday afternoon due to the blizzard conditions.

DIA said airport maintenance crews worked with the Denver Police Department to clear stranded and stuck vehicles from Peña Boulevard so that crews could plow the roadway in order to open it to traffic.

The airport encouraged passengers already at the airport to remain there because of treacherous winter driving conditions.

There were more than 735 flights, about half the scheduled flights for the day at DIA, cancelled before noon on Wednesday along with a major power outage early Wednesday morning. The power was restored about 9:20 a.m. but flights continued to be cancelled.

The Denver metro area was under a blizzard warning through 6 p.m. Wednesday which brought heavy snow and strong winds to the area.

Pena Boulevard was closed in both directions to and from the airport because of treacherous driving conditins. DIA tweeted an update just before noon Wednesday.

DIA spokesman Heath Montgomery said there was a major power outage at the airport early Wednesday which caused hundreds of flight cancellations. Xcel Energy restored power by 9:20 a.m.

DIA tweeted an update that power had been restored to the airport and flights would begin resuming as able.

During the power outage, DIA did not have the ability to pump aircraft fuel from its fuel storage facility and the aircraft that require refueling are not able to depart.

DIA also did not have the ability to pump aircraft deicing fluid to the deicing trucks.

Those conditions led the FAA to implement a ground stop. That ground stop remained in place on Wednesday afternoon.

PHOTO GALLERY: Spring Blizzard 2016

DIA said snow crews continued to work the runways and other surfaces that needed to be cleared.

The airport said passengers should expect delays and are being asked to check their flight information before heading to the airport.

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