City of Electra experiences major power outage - KAUZ
City of Electra experiences major power outage
ELECTRA, Texas (KAUZ) - The City of Electra has experienced a catastrophic power outage due to the recent winter storm that dropped four inches of snow in the area.
The outages occurred after the main transformer blew up at the substation.
As of right now, the city is trying to power the town with a smaller transformer, but the city’s administrator, Kim Cryer, said this is a temporary fix.
The Electra Memorial Hospital was not available to go on camera but said they are doing what they can to conserve energy by keeping some of their heaters off.
Our crew spoke with residents affected by the outage, and they say it’s become a normal part of life.
“We used to have a good power plant, a good crew. We were self-sufficient, but they got rid of all that, and it doesn’t seem like we are as self-sufficient as we used to be,” an Electra Resident said.
Clark Jones, an Electra resident, said that last night’s outage only left him without power for 20 minutes.
- Q: Is this kind of an ongoing issue out here in Electra?
- A: Yeah, about two or three times a year. Pretty normal. We’re used to it
Another couple said they learned their lesson from the winter storm in 2021 when they were left without power for five days.
They bought their own generator and have been running it since last night.
At this time Administrator Cryer said there is no update as they work to fix the issue.
The city is asking residents to try to conserve energy, refrain from using larger appliances, lower thermostats, and only use essential electricity for the next several days.
Copyright 2024 KAUZ. All rights reserved.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: electricity
Electricity is a secondary energy source: it is generated through the conversion of primary energy sources such as natural gas, coal, solar, hydropower, and wind. Electricity’s versatility is not cost-free: a substantial amount of energy is lost in its generation and the cost of storage is high, compared with fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. The economics of battery technology hold the key to expanded use of renewable sources to generate electricity.