West Penn Power alerts residents to planned power outage in Latrobe for later this week
LATROBE (KDKA) - A planned power outage has some West Penn Power customers questioning the timing of it.
The company plans to have one for a few dozen customers near Latrobe from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Thursday.
According to West Penn, this is one of the final parts of a project to increase capacity on the lines.
It started over the summer, but this recent stretch of cold is concerning for some of the 40 customers impacted.
"Four or five hours at nine or ten degrees, I could have frozen pipes," impacted customer Deb Stahl said.
Stahl said she got alerted to this on Tuesday. Then a text on Wednesday. She said her house is older and is worried it could get colder inside tomorrow. Stahl appreciates the work but questions why now.
"It's a tree down or something that you have to turn off for an emergency, I understand that entirely, but this is a planned outage," she said.
West Penn said the date was determined months ago, saying that they can't delay this part because of where they are doing work.
They will be working above a railroad crossing and this is the first date they could get. The power company had to coordinate with the rail companies, and it wasn't easy finding a date.
They understand the weather is not ideal for turning off power, but they can't wait.
West Penn recommends not going in and out of your house to minimize how much heat escapes.
Unfortunately for Stahl, it doesn't qualm her concerns for her child, pets, and 92-year-old mother that lives nearby and will also be impacted.
"I'm just concerned because it's cold today, and I have the furnace on today and it's still cold. It's not going to be a good situation," Stahl said.
West Penn emphasized this is work that has to happen with the lines de-energized for the safety of everyone doing the work.