Residents in Wamego and Clay Center are being asked to conserve energy during this extreme cold weather.
Kansas Electric Cooperative reported Monday morning their Southwest Power Pool (PPP) was in a Level three energy emergency alert. This pool is used by Bluestem Electric for Wamego and Clay Center.
Level 3 may mean implementing controlled outages to protect the integrity of the grid. KEC is asking their members to conserve energy wherever possible and safe to do so to prevent worsening system conditions that could impact a broader area or have longer-lasting effects. Kansans can conserve energy by turning down thermostats and not using high energy-consuming appliances, such as clothes washers and dryers, ovens and dishwashers, beginning now and continuing through mid-week.
More ways to conserve energy can be found on their website at kec.coop./news-releases.
The record-breaking cold is also putting a significant strain on natural gas supplies. The cold weather is freezing off natural gas production, making less gas available for delivery to customers.
