Power poles that were impacted by straight line winds near Lexington on May 12, 2022, (Brian Neben, Courtesy)
COLUMBUS — ‘Tis the season for severe winter weather and Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) wants to remind customers to be aware of the dangers caused by downed power lines.
Severe winter storms can bring heavy snow, wind, or ice that can damage power lines and cause outages. Ice and snow can weigh down tree branches causing them to break into power lines, and ice can build up on the power lines themselves causing them to break.
High winds are also a factor and when they become strong enough, they can cause lines to swing and hit each other, which can also result in a power outage.
“It’s important that if you encounter a downed power line, keep your distance. Getting too close or touching a downed line could result in serious or fatal injuries,” says NPPD Vice-President of Energy Delivery Scott Walz. “Our crews are prepared and ready to respond to power outages during winter storms and will work to restore power to customers as quickly and as safely as possible.”
Customers with access to a generator that can be used during an outage, should make sure they are never used indoors and are installed by a licensed electrician. NPPD encourages customers to assemble a few items including a flashlight, extra batteries, a portable radio, at least one gallon of water, and a small supply of food to access in case of a winter outage. It is also suggested that the refrigerator and freezer doors should be kept closed during an outage to keep food cold.
Customers can find outage information by downloading the “NPPD On the Go!” mobile app or by going to nppd.com.
