President Bush signed a major disaster declaration for Nebraska on Sunday night, clearing the way for federal dollars to help the state recover from winter storms that severely damaged Nebraska’s power grid, U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson’s office announced Sunday.

The declaration will free up money that will go to 57 Nebraska counties, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“That means that we can assist the utilities and the communities with costs that they are incurring here,” said Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesman Jim Bunstock. “They can rest assured that they’re not going to bear the entire burden of this on their own.”

Gov. Dave Heineman said he appreciated the quick reaction of President Bush and FEMA to his request for a disaster declaration.

“Much of central Nebraska remains without power or powered by alternative means, and this assistance to the public entities trying to accelerate the recovery efforts in our communities is welcome and warranted under these difficult circumstances,” Heineman said in a statement.

Electric utility districts and emergency services returned some centralized power to every community in Nebraska by Saturday night, but high wind advisories throughout affected areas were expected to hinder efforts at fixing the fragile grid early in the week.

About 9,500 rural customers have had to rely on their own wits — as well as generators, wood stoves and fireplaces — but remained without power across 12 power districts, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency. The Nebraska Public Power District estimated the number of customers without power at 10,000.

“This is the worst disaster that utilities in Nebraska have sustained probably in their lifetime,” said NPPD spokeswoman Beth Boesch.

Boesch said estimates of the damage to Nebraska’s infrastructure would not be known for a few days, but could be $100 million or more.

Meanwhile, power districts debated whether to allow line workers to make repairs after the National Weather Service issued the high wind advisories.

“We still have a very weak system, and if the winds rise to where they’re predicted to, those weaknesses my be exposed,” said Tim Arlt, NPPD’s emergency restoration director, in a release. “Obviously, operating a bucket truck in high winds can be problematic.”

Heartwell, Riverton and Upland are no longer on emergency generator power, the state said.

Emergency management officials said some customers could still be a week or two away from being reconnected.