FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:                 Joint Information Center

PHONE:                     (308) 385-5365                    E-mail:      jic@nema.ne.gov

DATE AND TIME:    January 4, 2007   7:07:35 PM

 

Numbers Improving in Wake of Ice Storm

Joint Information Center, Grand Island, NE:

 Public power districts are working around the clock, but there are still approximately 6,700 households and businesses still without power, according to information from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.  Ten communities are currently out of service but are expected to have power by January 7 th. Those communities are:

• Bertrand
• Heartwell
• Funk
• Inland
• Kenesaw
• Ragan
• Riverton
• Upton
• Loomis
• Odessa

Twenty-two generators have been provided to these communities:

• Kearney (3)
• Pleasanton
• Amherst
• Gibbon
• Ravenna
• Odessa
• Inland
• Hildreth
• Riverton
• Upland
• Heartwell
• Holdrege (4)
• Bertrand
• Funk
• Loomis
• Wilcox

These are large generators mounted on semi trucks.  (These are not to be confused with small units used by individual households.)  Communities are using the generators to power essential services, such as water pumping stations, lift stations, hospitals and care facilities, and warming shelters.

According to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, a licensed electrician should be called to hook up household generators in order to ensure that proper procedures for installation are followed and to reduce fire risk.  Improperly connected generators create an electrocution risk for utility line workers and others because of an unsafe backfeed of electricity through normal distribution wiring.

Damage estimates from public power companies:

•  2,900 miles of downed line
• 12 public power districts impacted
• 8,300 poles and structures destroyed

Crews working:

• 630 utility linemen plus 250 contract employees. More contract employees are on the way to the affected areas.

Public utilities impacted by the storm include:

• Cornhusker Public Power District
• Dawson Rural Public Power District
• Twin Valley Rural Public Power District
• Howard -Greeley Rural Public Power District
• Loup Valleys Rural Public Power District
• Elkhorn Rural Public Power District
• Nebraska Public Power District
• Southern Nebrasak Rural Public Power District
• Cedar-Knox Public Power District
• North Central Public Power District
• Northeast Nebraska Public Power District
• South Central Public Power District

An expedited federal disaster declaration has been requested by Governor Dave Heineman for damage from winter storms beginning Dec. 19 and ending Jan. 2. The 57 counties included in the Governor's federal disaster declaration request are Adams, Antelope, Blaine, Boone, Brown, Buffalo, Cedar, Chase, Cheyenne, Clay, Custer, Dawson, Dixon, Dundy, Fillmore, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Holt, Howard, Kearney, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Knox, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, Merrick, Morrill, Nance, Nuckolls, Perkins, Phelps, Pierce, Platte, Polk, Red Willow, Rock, Seward, Sherman, Stanton, Valley, Wayne, Webster, Wheeler and York.

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