Crews are ready to respond if the winter storm expected to move across parts of Kansas and Missouri causes power outages.
According to Evergy, with forecasts in the service area including a potential for heavy snow and freezing rain late Tuesday through early Thursday, crews are on standby.
“Given the forecast, we have deployed additional resources at Evergy power plants to be prepared for a potential increase in energy demand,” said Chuck Caisley, Evergy senior vice president and chief customer officer. “Our line crews are prepared and, if outages occur, will begin restoring power as soon as conditions are safe.”
About a year ago, Winter storm Uri created challenges for the region as generation sources became limited and demand for electricity was high. Evergy had enough generation to meet customer demand in the company’s service area, but emergency interruptions were required to maintain regional grid balance and stability.
“Winter storm Uri was an unusual event that required controlled power interruptions that were the first in more than 80 years,” Caisley said. “The weather this week looks more like a typical winter storm that we’ve all experienced many times before. We’ve taken steps necessary at our power plants to ensure they’re ready during this storm.”
Tuesday morning, Southwest Power Pool, which coordinates power production and delivery for parts of 14-states including Missouri and Kansas issued a Resource Advisory. As a result, SPP members are asked to implement appropriate cold weather plans and inform the SPP if they are experiencing transmission or generation constraints. No action is required by Evergy customers.
Evergy’s year-round tree-trimming and predictive-maintenance programs also help reduce the risk of outages in the event of storms.
Customers who experience an outage can report it at evergy.com/outage/report-an-outage or call 1-800-LIGHT-KS if you are in the Evergy Kansas Central service area or 1-888-LIGHT-KC in the Evergy Metro or Evergy Missouri West areas. Customers may follow Evergy on Twitter and Facebook for updates and related storm information. Outage information is available online at www.Evergy.com/outages.
Evergy encourages customers to be prepared for the winter storm and the potential for power outages by taking the following steps:
Assemble a storm kit in an airtight, easy-to-carry container or bag, stocked with:
- Water
- Non-perishable food
- Fresh batteries
- Battery-powered radio
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Masks and hand sanitizer
- Cell phone charger or power bank
If severe weather arrives, customers should always keep their cell phones charged and make sure to fill their car up with gas ahead of time. Bring your pets indoors or to sheltered areas and be sure to establish a communication plan with family, friends or neighbors who live alone or are elderly to check on their well-being.
For additional information about how to prepare your home for colder winter temperatures, customers can visit our energy saving tips website.
