Black Hills Energy is experiencing multiple electrical outages in Cheyenne, due to blizzard conditions caused by winter storm Xylia. As of 10:45 a.m., 3,504 customers in the north and west rural areas of Cheyenne have been affected. All Cheyenne electric crews are currently dispatched and are patrolling and working to restore service in these areas.
“Hazardous road conditions are currently creating challenges for our crews as they work to make repairs and restore service,” said Dustin McKen, Director of Operations for Black Hills Energy Wyoming. “We will continue our restoration efforts and keep our customers informed through text messages and continual updates to our website and social media channels.”
Safety remains our top priority during this storm, so we encourage our customers to notify us as soon as issues arise.
Stay safe. Stay connected. If the power goes out, report it online or call 888-890-5554. For outage information in your area, stay connected with Black Hills Energy by logging on to www.blackhillsenergy.com
Safety Reminders
- While playing or working in the snow, keep an eye out for downed power lines. Never touch or attempt to pick up a fallen power line and keep children and pets away.
- Snow and ice buildup on your home’s natural gas meter can create a safety hazard and even cut off the flow of natural gas to your heating equipment and other appliances. To avoid trouble, gently remove snow and ice from on and around the meter with your hands or a broom.
- If you suspect an indoor natural gas leak, get out immediately. Call 911, then call Black Hills Energy at 888-890-5554. Wait for Black Hills Energy or emergency personnel to arrive before re-entering the building. Emergency personnel will let you know when it’s safe to return. Do not touch switches or electronics and leave windows and doors as is. Do not turn on lights, ignite a flame, use a cell phone or use anything that might cause a spark, including a flashlight or a generator.
- Ensure your home is equipped with carbon monoxide detectors.
Tips for Managing Energy Use
- If health concerns aren’t a factor, set your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter and reduce it 2 to 3 degrees while you’re away from home or sleeping.
- Doing laundry or washing dishes can use energy to heat the water and your dryer. If you can, only wash full loads using cold water, air dry your clothes, or even better, wait until the extreme cold weather passes to complete these activities.
- Make sure your furnace vent, gas fireplace vent and tankless/conventional water heater vents are free from any obstructions or debris.
- Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans only as needed. In just one hour, these fans can exhaust a house full of warmed air.
- Reduce hot water usage. Use low-flow faucets and shower heads and take short showers instead of baths. Set the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees or put it on the “warm” setting.