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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 20, 2007 No. 07-203 POWER REMAINS OUT TO APPROXIMATELY 5,700 KANSAS CUSTOMERS, BUT IS EXPECTED TO BE RESTORED STATEWIDE BY CHRISTMAS
With the help of crews from several states, power companies are making significant progress in restoring service. Approximately 5,700 Kansas customers are without power, down from more than 130,000 customers at the peak of the storm early last week. Westar has only 196 customers without service, and Kansas Rural Electric Cooperatives has approximately 5,500 without service. Westar expects to have all service restored by the end of the day and the cooperatives expect to have everyone back in service by Christmas day.
Preliminary Damage Assessments
Next week, following Christmas day, two-person teams each made up of a state and FEMA representative, will begin surveying the damages sustained from the ice and snow storm. Assessments are expected to be completed by early January.
Once preliminary damage assessments have been completed, the state will assess which counties meet federal criteria for reimbursement and then request those counties be approved for reimbursement to the local government for such actions as emergency protective measures and debris removal. State officials do not anticipate damages to uninsured private property to be significant enough across the state to meet federal criteria for disaster reimbursement.
New winter storm could make holiday travel difficult in some areas
The National Weather Service is monitoring a storm system moving into the state Friday night bringing high winds (40 to 60 mph). Heavier snowfall is expected in southwest Kansas with three to five inches possible. South central and northeast Kansas could receive two to four inches. Travelers are urged to refill their vehicle gas tank before it drops to a quarter of a tank, monitor weather reports, and to restock travel emergency kits, as well as their home emergency kits with water, food and medications for each family member. Additional information regarding emergency kits is available at www.ready.gov and www.ksready.gov. Kansans may monitor road conditions by calling 511 or going to http://511.ksdot.org.
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