An arctic blast headed for Austin next week means many residents will be adjusting thermostats – and hoping the power stays on.
The onset of winter weather may cause anxiety for Austinites who lived through previous freezes and power outages, but officials say the city has learned from past mistakes.
Bob Kahn, general manager for Austin Energy, said during a news conference last month that the utility has spent the year preparing for a cold blast.
Austin Water officials said they have backup generators to power their equipment in the event of a power outage and have crews ready to ensure the water stays on.
People should be prepared and proactive ahead of the cold weather.
Next week, Austin will see an arctic blast, so many locals will be adjusting their thermostats and hoping that the power doesn’t go out.
According to the National Weather Service, Central Texas will experience freezing temperatures by Monday morning due to a cold front that moves in on Sunday afternoon. Roads may ice over as a result of the anticipated multi-day cold snap, which may also include some precipitation later in the week.
Austinites who experienced past freezes and power outages may be anxious about the arrival of winter weather, but officials say the city has learned from its mistakes. They claim to be ready to communicate clearly both with the public and internally. They have also modified transformers to accommodate an increase in demand and placed stronger materials around water and electric equipment as well as power lines to prevent ice buildup.
Austin Energy has been preparing for a cold blast for the past year, according to Bob Kahn, general manager, who made this announcement at a press conference last month.
“We have been concentrating on weatherizing, insulating, and inspecting equipment at our power plants and substations,” he stated. Over the course of the winter, we conducted more inspections. We have essential supplies on hand, and our staff is prepared for winter weather emergencies. “”.
The utility, according to Kahn, has also kept up its efforts to prune trees near equipment and power lines.
Despite the preparations, people may still lose power, according to Mayor Kirk Watson.
To put it plainly, he stated, “We are working very hard to see what we can do with our part of the grid, what we can do with regard to making sure people know what needs to happen.”. “This is not going to be flawless. The winter months aren’t always ideal. “..”.
He said, however, that the city is as prepared as it can be. This includes making plans to open warming centers and overnight shelters as well as to maintain safe roads. Crews have also been trained by first responders to handle potentially severe weather.
According to Austin Water officials, they have crews on hand to make sure the water remains on in the event of a power outage and backup generators to power their equipment.
Go to ReadyCentralTexas . org to learn more.
