North Texans without power are finding ways to stay warm
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - ERCOT says it's ready for this winter weather system, with enough supply to meet forecasted demand. However, you may be seeing some localized power outages.
Oncor is reporting almost 19,000 customers are affected right now. The majority of these occurring in east Texas.
For the last 24 hours, Andrew Ventura's truck has served as a second home.
A place to keep warm and power up his phone.
"The power outages have been pretty bad around here," Venutra said. "It started last night around 6 p.m., 7 p.m... and then it lasted throughout the night until about 4 or 5 a.m. Power kicked back on and then went back out a few hours later and it's been off ever since."
Moses Shrem, who is also without power, has a newborn to care for.
"It's hard to not have electricity.. and it's cold," Shrem said. "[The baby was] born three weeks ago and it's cold inside so we are trying to keep him warm.. but the fireplace is not effective and it's hard."
An Oncor spokesperson says this weather is the worst kind for power outages because of the ice and sleet on trees.
"And you know, once the ice starts building up, once it gets to at least a quarter inch, that's when it becomes critical," said Oncor spokesperson Andy Morgan. "And it starts adding more and more weight to those tree limbs and branches and they start sagging or breaking off."
Right now, power crews are in "storm mode," working 16 hour shifts a day.
They've brought in local contractors and additional supplies like poles, transformers, and wires. They've been strategically placed to minimize disruptions and allow crews to respond quickly, but still they're asking North Texans for patience.
"We wanted to go to a friends place but I don't think will drive because it's dangerous.. especially with the baby," Shrem said.
"I recommend they stay in," Ventura said. "Be careful on the roads and try to stay warm as much as possible.. it's pretty dangerous out."
With more winter weather on the way - there's a good chance we'll see more of these localized outages tomorrow.
Oncor crews are expecting another busy day. One thing they want to stress is if you see a downed power line immediately call 911. Keep your kids and pets away.
And if you're experiencing an outage, contact your local power provider.
Oncor has four ways to report an outage:
- MyOncor mobile app - oncor.com/app
- Text "Out" to 66267
- Call (888) 313-4747
- Go online to stormcenter.oncor.com