RAPID CITY, SD — February 21, 2023 — The National Weather Service forecasted winter storm conditions throughout the Black Hills area that will bring snow accumulation and dangerous wind chill temperatures. Black Hills Energy operations teams are watching the weather closely and preparing for potential weather events.

Updates, safety information and outage resources can be found at blackhillsenergy.com/weather.

Tips for conserving energy can be found at blackhillsenergy.com/winter-ready.

“Being prepared and ready to provide safe, reliable service is our priority. We regularly inspect and maintain our system to ensure reliability and safety,” said Marc Eyre, vice president of electric operations for South Dakota and Northeast Wyoming region. “Our dedicated crews are scheduled 24/7 during storm conditions for any electric emergency that require immediate attention.”

Electric Safety Tips

If an electrical service interruption occurs, we will make every effort to safely restore your power as quickly as possible. We realize that these situations are an inconvenience, and we appreciate your patience as we work to restore service as quickly and safely as possible.

In the event that an unexpected outage occurs, please follow these guidelines for staying safe:

• Never touch or attempt to pick up a fallen power line and keep children and pets away. Assume any downed power line is energized. If you see a downed power line, contact 911 immediately.
• Prepare for an outage by setting up an emergency drawer or kit that’s easy to access, even in the dark. Stock it with fresh batteries, a battery-powered radio and a flashlight. Avoid using candles, lanterns or oil lamps because of the fire risk. Be sure everyone in the family knows where the emergency drawer or kit is located.
• Unplug sensitive computer and electronic equipment or protect them with a high-quality surge protector.
• If your power goes out, see if your neighbors have power. If they do, check your home for blown fuses or a tripped circuit breaker.
• If your neighbors don't have power or if you can't locate the problem, report the outage at blackhillsenergy.com/outages.
• Turn on a porch light. This will help speed our power restoration process, as we will be able to quickly confirm that your power is back on without knocking on your door or checking the meter.