The following is a press release from NPPD:
Columbus, Neb. - Boom trucks are fueled. Supplies are stocked, and line crews are on standby. The Nebraska Public Power District is on alert for what appears to be the first major winter storm of the season.
According to forecasts, an area of low pressure system developing in the southwest and an upper level disturbance from the southeast carrying tropical moisture could bring the potential for snow, freezing rain and ice to parts of the state starting Friday evening and extending into the weekend.
"We are fully prepared to meet the demands of any storm that may hit the state," said Ed Wagner, NPPD vice president of customer service and delivery. "Assuming this storm brings similar conditions faced with previous ice storms, we encourage customers to focus on three things: safety, security, and our commitment to them."
Safety. Stay away from downed power lines. Trees laden with ice or blown by high winds can contact power lines, causing outages. Power lines that fall to the ground could still be energized and thereby dangerous.
Customers sighting a downed power line should call their local utility.
If the power supplier is not known, visit the "Nebraska Town Index" under "Report An Outage" on http://www.nppd.com <http://www.nppd.com/About_Us/Nebtowns/index.asp> or call 1-877-ASK-NPPD (275-6773) and NPPD's call center representatives can help.
Sometimes, if covered by heavy ice, a customer's meter loop connecting the service wire to the home can pull away from the house. If this happens, an electrician must be contacted to reconnect the loop to the house before power can be restored safely.
Safety is also important for utility line technicians. Emergency procedures are followed for safely restoring electricity. Restoration efforts, involving multiple outages, require a utility to pinpoint the location of the damaged area so that the line or equipment affected can be fixed. Customers who report an outage can help their utility develop a more effective and safe restoration plan.
Security. Customers are advised to listen to their local radio station for storm updates, use flashlights for emergency lighting, and keep water and food on hand. If a power outage occurs, customers should turn off the electrical equipment which was in use when the power went out and avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.
Planning. NPPD is prepared for storms and other disruptions. The utility follows and practices an Emergency Response Plan in responding to a storm's impact locally, regionally, or on a statewide basis. Wagner said using this plan helps NPPD assign resources where necessary to restore service as quickly as possible.
Commitment. Nebraska's utility line technicians are professionally trained to restore power when required. System operators first try to reroute electricity to customers through a backup feed or line, but when an alternate route is not available, physical repairs may be required.
Line technicians are dispatched to the targeted area to restore the damaged line, but when there are dozens of lines to address individually, an outage may last longer than expected.
"Electricity is integral to our lives, which is why NPPD works as quickly and as safely as possible when outages occur," explained Wagner.
"We are committed to our customers, who are also our friends, neighbors, and family members."
NPPD has 250 technicians across the state who support its transmission and distribution facilities. These individuals can be called upon after hours to assist with service restoration.
Always there when you need us, NPPD's mission is to safely generate and deliver low-cost reliable energy and provide outstanding customer service. Working in partnership with the state's rural public power districts, cooperatives and municipalities, NPPD helps serve an estimated 1 million Nebraskans with retail or wholesale electric power and energy-related products and services. For more information about NPPD visit www.nppd.com.
