The Levelland - Hockley County Emergency Management department reported low temperatures throughout the weekend with potential dangerous windchill with values as low as negative 10 degrees to negative 20 degrees.
While there was no winter precipitation expected, Emergency Management Coordinator Cole Kirkland is urging community members in the Hockley and surrounding areas to implement safety measures while traveling in cold temperatures including in the evening and early mornings.
For home owners, Kirkland encourages residents to take safety measures for colder weather such as covering exposed faucets.
He explained that the low temperatures have reached into the 20’s, but they would need to continue to drop to pose a sizable threat to pipes under homes.
“We haven’t had temperatures that would cause damages to homes,” explained Kirkland. “It is really temperatures that get into the single digits that cause problems and begin busting pipes.”
Kirkland also added that exposed faucets or pipe outside should be the main concern heading into the 20 degree weather while the focus will shift and include any pipe within the home.
“We’ve been very fortunate to be at the end of December and not have single digit weather reports,” said Kirkland.
With the colder temperatures throughout this week and the weekend, Xcel Energy has been preparing for the colder weather in Texas and New Mexico The company is reminding customers of different ways they can maintain a high level of comfort, save money and stay informed in the event of a power outage.
“The reliability of our system is vital any time of year, but even more important during extreme cold,” said Adrian J. Rodriguez, president of Xcel Energy for New Mexico and Texas. “Our customers can be assured that we’ve taken steps to winterize power plants and harden the grid, and our employees stand ready to respond quickly and safely in the event of an interruption to electric service. Likewise, our customers have the tools they need to manage the cold weather and costs at the same time.”
Xcel Energy has invested more than $3 billion in grid improvements over the past decade to strengthen the region’s electric system and boost power imports from neighboring states.
Additionally, area power plants and wind farms were designed for cold weather and are continually being improved to withstand extreme temperatures. Winterization reviews are conducted annually each fall at Xcel Energy’s Texas-New Mexico power plants, and new wind farms such as Sagamore in New Mexico and Hale in Texas were built with “cold weather packages” that allow the turbines to run in subzero temperatures.
The company has replaced thousands of wooden poles and updated wire on many key distribution feeder lines across the area to reduce outages caused by high winds and ice buildup.
And ongoing efforts to upgrade voltages in more established neighborhoods to a company standard provide more options for Xcel Energy to reroute power for fasterrestoration in the event of weather-related outages.
Customers can be prepared for extreme temperatures by having their heating equipment checked ahead of winter and taking steps to make interior spaces more airtight by adding weather stripping around doors and windows.
Customers can take advantage ofXcel Energy’s Home Energy Services program to have approved contractors inspect their property for drafts and make the necessary adjustments free of charge. Information on this program can be found online at xcelenergyefficiency.com.
Winter heating accounts for about half a typical customer’s monthly energy costs, so it’s possible to realize big savings in the winter if customers keep warm air from escaping to the outside and ensuring heating units don’t have to run as often.
Another important way to save on heating costs is to adjust the thermostat seven to 10 degrees Fahrenheit from normal settings for eight hours a day. A programmable or smart thermostat programmable or smart thermostat can make these adjustments more convenient, allowing customers to schedule thermostat adjustments.
Many new thermostats can also be controlled remotely via a mobile device, and the most advanced models can adjust settings automatically based on activity inside the home. Energy Star-certified smart thermostats can save up to 8 percent annually on heating and cooling costs, according to energystar.gov.
Should extreme weather come with ice and damaging wind, customers can help Xcel Energy get a jump on power restoration by reporting outages.
Customers have a number of ways to report their outage via the Xcel Energy mobile app available on iOS and Android, online at xcelenergy.com/out or call 1-800-895-1999 and follow the prompts—the automated phone reporting system lets customers report outages in less than 60 seconds.
Additionally, the website features an outage map that displays information on the number of customers out and anticipated time for restoration.
Precipitation is not anticipated, however, Kirkland hopes travelers during the holiday break will use caution returning home and making their way through the evenings and on barren roads.
Kirkland encourages drivers to let other family members know when they are departing and when they should be expected or contacted.
For drivers, the potential for being stranded is something each car on the road faces.
Kirkland encourages vehicle owners to put together a few items to leave in vehicles in case the situation arises.
Water, blankets, a flashlight and if there is any type of substance on the road, kitty litter works well.
“If someone is stranded on the road, having a few of these items will put those people in a better situation,” said Kirkland. “Once the call for help is made, depending on where the person is, that could take some time. If that person is stranded at night and the temperature is severely low, then it can be a difficult experience.”