BOSTON (CBS) – Almost exactly a week after Tropical Storm Irene knocked out power for more than 500,000 Massachusetts residents, service has been restored to almost everyone.

As of Saturday evening, a few hundred people were without power, but both NSTAR and National Grid said that all of those customers would have their electricity back by the end of the day.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Kim Tunnicliffe reports on proposals to punish utility companies

Many businesses are still working to get back on track from the storm.

Officials have said they expect damages from Irene to cost billions of dollars.