Update: 7 p.m. Monday
Evergy estimates about 60,000 customers in its service area experienced brief, controlled power outages Monday. While power has since been restored, future outages may be implemented in the coming days. Evergy continues to urge its customers to continue conserving energy.
Original story: 1:30 p.m. Monday
Customers of Evergy may experience periods of controlled, temporary outages to help avoid longer, uncontrolled and extended power outages throughout the region.
This is after the Southwest Power Pool, which involves all electric providers in Kansas asked member utilities to implement such outages in order to conserve energy, after going to an Energy Emergency Alert Level 3, the highest alert status for energy usage.
The utility announced it is turning off electricity to blocks of customers for about 30 to 60 minutes. Once the period has concluded, power will be restored to the impacted area. The emergency outages will then rotate to another portion of Evergy’s service area. Power will cycle off and on until the reduction is no longer required by the SPP.
To help ease stress on the power grid, customers are asked to turn thermostats down to 65 to 68 degrees, close blinds and shades to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows and turn off any unnecessary lights and appliances. When possible, residents are asked to delay non-essential uses of energy, including washing or drying clothes and washing dishes to non-peak hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.)
