Kansas utility companies brace for severe weather
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Kansas utility companies are on standby to fix any damage caused by severe storms.
Evergy
Evergy Communication Manager Kaley Bohlen could not speculate on how many outages they may see but said the high risk is something they must monitor closely.
Evergy has a year tree trimming program that helps prep for a weather threat by keeping tree limbs farther away from power lines.
Bohlen said they have crews at the ready to respond to outages or damaged lines, but they must wait until the weather threat clears, as a safety precaution for their crews.
“On the customer side, encouraging them to stay away from downed lines, if they see them, assume they are all alive and stay away from them,” said Bohlen.
She said, if you see a downed power line, just call your electric company.
Every day relies on its customers so they know where the power is out. You can report an outage via telephone or app.
Wichita Public Schools and others make weather changes
Black Hills Energy
Black Hills Energy is prepping crews as well for severe weather response.
James Williams, with Black Hill Energy, said they have 35,000 customers alone in the Wichita area. He said they have 150 crew members on standby, ready to respond because some of those gas lines need attention.
He encourages customers to figure out where their meter is located before severe weather hits. Williams said several problems can arise, including hail damage, water pooling around their meter, or a break in the gas line.
Adding, if it’s a gas issue, phone for help immediately.
“If they smell gas, they need to call 911 right away and get out of the house, call our customer service line, after that we’ll work with first responders, get to the area when it’s safe,” said Williams.
He stresses that you only check your meter for damage when it is safe to go out.
He said once it is safe to begin servicing impacted areas, Black Hills Energy crews will work with those first responders to address any gas leaks.
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