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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2007 No. 07-184 POWER LINES ON HIGHWAYS POSE DANGER
TO KANSAS DRIVERS
As ice builds up on power lines, some lines are falling across highways, increasing the danger for Kansas drivers today. The Kansas Department of Transportation is reporting power lines down across roadways in Marshall, Pottawatomie, Riley and Wabaunsee counties. This is preventing salt trucks from moving through some of these areas. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management urges Kansans to be extremely careful as they travel the state today with the downed lines and icy conditions making conditions treacherous in some areas and conditions could worsen throughout the day. The Kansas Department of Transportation is reporting most highways are wet and slushy, with the exception of northwest and north central Kansas where roadways are snow packed. Power lines found on the roadways will require KDOT to temporarily close highways as needed to remove the lines. The Kansas Highway Patrol has no reports of fatality accidents at this time. Power outages clarification More than 100,000 customers are without power in Kansas. Kansas City Power and Light currently has more than 27,000 customers without power in the metro, however, only 8,200 of those on the Kansas side in Johnson County. BPU is also reporting power outages in the metro, however, a total is not yet available. Westar is reporting more than 66,000 customers without power. Cherokee, Labette and Crawford counties in southeast Kansas report more than 16,000 additional customers without power. Kansas Electric Cooperatives is reporting 20,000 customers without power. This includes Heartland Rural Electric and Twin Valley Rural Electric. Heartland Rural Electric is reporting 75 poles down and 900 meters without service. Twin Valley Rural Electric Cooperative is reporting seven poles down and 200 meters without service. More outages are possible throughout the day as additional ice accumulates. Currently, a quarter inch to a half inch of ice is reported on the ground in the following areas: northeast, northwest, north central, south central, and southeast Kansas. Southwest Kansas is expecting a quarter inch of ice and snow accumulations of one to two inches. Conditions are expected to worsen throughout the day in some areas.
Kansas National Guard Delivers Generator – update and correction The Kansas National Guard has been asked to supply generators to several
locations. Today two nursing homes without power in Nemaha County requested
generators. Last night, the 184th Intelligence Wing in Wichita began transporting
generators to southeast Kansas to reestablish power to sewer treatment
systems. One generator is being set up in Chetopa to restore power to
the sewer lift station. One generator will be delivered to Baxter Springs
in Cherokee County around midday today to restore power to the water treatment
plant, not the sewer system as was indicated earlier. -30- |
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