Evergy has announced plans to begin rotating power outages in an effort to avoid larger and uncontrolled outages across the region.

The utility turned off power to around 60,000 customers early Monday afternoon, and the outage lasted about an hour.   The Southwest Power Pool asked other utilities to conduct similar rolling blackouts, and that has helped with the supply.   At this time it’s not expected that other blackouts will be needed, but Evergy and other companies are still on standby if more outages are ordered.

A blackout is expected to last 30 to 60 minutes. When that time period is over, power will be restored and outages will be rotated to another portion of the company’s service area.   Power will cycle off and on periodically until the reduction is no longer required by the Southwest Power Pool.

Company officials said with the extreme cold temperatures, equipment may not operate as intended.  As a result, outages could last longer than the 30-60 minute time frame.

Customers who are affected by an outage do not need to report it.  They should check Evergy’s outage map on the web site www.evergy.com/outageinfo for more information. If a customer has an outage lasting more than an hour, they should report the outage at evergy.com or the number 1-800-544-4857 for Kansas Central customers.

Evergy is asking its customers to conserve electricity use as much as possible through Wednesday, February 17th, because of the high demand for power created by this week’s arctic cold snap.

The Southwest Power Pool is asking utility companies to conserve electricity.  At the same time, the extreme weather is creating a high demand for natural gas, putting a strain on the gas supply used to generate electricity.   Icy conditions have also created uncertainty for the use of wind energy.

Evergy’s Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Bryant, said crews are working around the clock to manage power plants and power lines, but with the demand putting a strain on the system, everyone doing their part to save electricity over the next few days will help make sure the power supply continues to serve customers across the region.

Evergy is recommending the following steps to conserve energy and lower electric bills:

• Turn thermostats a little cooler (65-68 degrees). Avoid the use of electric space heaters.
• Close blinds and shades to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.
• Change or clean filters on furnaces.
• Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances in your home.
• When possible, use large appliances (clothes washers, dryers and dishwashers) between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Reduce air leaks that let cold air in by sealing around doors and windows with weatherstripping or caulk and inserting foam gaskets on electrical switches and outlets.
• Businesses should reduce the use of electric lighting and electricity-consuming equipment as much as possible.
• Large consumers of electricity should consider shutting down or reducing non-essential processes.

Evergy is a member of the Southwest Power Pool, which coordinates the regional transmission grid and wholesale energy markets for the central United States, including Kansas and Missouri.    Other utility companies in Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri are urging their customers to conserve electricity for the next few days.