KCP&L and Central Missouri Electric Co-op Provide Update on Power Outage Progress

Weary crews from Central Missouri Electric Cooperative are making great strides toward ending outages caused by heavy snow from Winter Storm Rocky. At the peak of the outage situation, approximately two-thirds of the cooperative’s 10,400 meters were without power.  As of Thursday morning, Feb. 28, that number had shrunk to 500.

“We are hopeful to have everyone back on tonight if everything goes well, but there are no guarantees,” said Manager Darren Eckhoff. “I’ve never seen a snow storm give us such fits. We aren’t seeing much tree damage, and we probably don’t have 10 poles down. Our biggest problem is thick snow that collected on the lines overnight, 3 inches thick at least. In the daytime, it warmed up and the snow fell off the neutral line, which is closest to the ground. When this happens, it slaps up into the line above and either burns through or gets twisted together.”

Linemen have had to repair these outages one at a time over a landscape stretching from the Missouri River to Lake of the Ozarks. They are further hampered by roads that are in many cases still snow covered, though that situation has improved a great deal.

Central Missouri is being assisted by crews from other electric cooperatives out of harm’s way through the Emergency Assistance Program coordinated by the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. As other systems have restored power, they are releasing crews that are now focused on Central Missouri Electric, Co-Mo Electric and Osage Valley Electric cooperatives.

Central Missouri Electric Cooperative urges patience as crews work through this unprecedented outage situation. It also cautions members to treat every downed line as a potential hazard.

Meanwhile, KCP&L has reported that they have got down to 36 customers without power as of 11 a.m. on Feb. 28 in Pettis County.

The Salvation Army Community Center and American Red Cross in Sedalia have opened their doors for those that may need to get warm through the day.

Press release provided by Central Missouri Co-op