Northeast Nebraska power company asking customers to conserve energy after mass outage - KTIV Siouxland's News Channel

Northeast Nebraska power company asking customers to conserve energy after mass outage

WAYNE, Neb. (KTIV) - There was a mass power outage Wednesday night in Northeast Nebraska, which has prompted officials to ask people to conserve power.

According to Northeast Public Power District, there was a mass power outage in their district due to a substation being out.

As of Thursday morning Northeast Power is still working to restore power to some areas. Because some substations are taking on more load than normal, Northeast Power is asking their customers to conserve energy throughout the day. The company provides energy to about 8,500 people in Pierce, Thurston, Wayne, Dixon and Dakota Counties.

Some of the tips they suggest include:

- Operate the thermostat as efficiently as possible. The smaller the difference between your thermostat and the outdoor air temperature, the greater energy and utility bill savings.
- Avoid unnecessary trips out the door in the heat of the day.
- Use curtains and blinds to keep the sun out on hot days.
- Make sure ceiling fans are moving in a counter-clockwise direction, which forces air down and creates a cooling effect.
- Use your oven and clothes dryer during the cooler parts of the day.
- If you experience a power outage, call 800-750-9277 to report it.

With a heat advisory in effect for Northeast Nebraska as crews work to restore power, officials say people should be cautious of potentially getting heat exhaustion or a heat stroke. The signs of heat exhaustion include dizziness, thirst, heavy sweating and nausea. The signs of a heat stroke are confusion, dizziness and going unconscious.

To avoid getting heat exhaustion or heat stroke, officials say people should dress comfortably, wear light clothes, drink plenty of water and seek out cool environments.

If you do experience heat exhaustion, you should move to a cooler area, loosen your clothing, sip cool water and seek medical help if symptoms don’t improve.

If you witness someone have a heat stroke, you should call 911. While waiting for help, you should move that person to a cooler area, loosen their clothing, remove any extra layers of clothing and cool them with water or ice.

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