OPPD gets results from requests for public to conserve energy during arctic blast

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The Omaha Public Power District is asking people to conserve energy during the cold spell, and it appears to be paying off.

OPPD sent out a robocall on Sunday asking customers to lower their thermostats by 2-to-4 degrees and to avoid using major appliances during peak hours, which are 7-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.

OPPD Media Specialist Jodi Baker said customers complied with the request.

“We have seen a decrease in usage across all of our customer classes,” Baker said. “I don’t have an exact figure right now, but I can tell you that we are really heartened and really grateful to our customers for everybody pitching in.”

The last time OPPD asked people to cut back because of the cold was in February 2021, when temperatures dipped to about 23 degrees below zero. Then, OPPD imposed “controlled curtailments,” or planned power outages, to deal with the energy demand.

The outages lasted about an hour each.

OPPD does not expect any planned outages between from Jan. 15-21, when temperatures are expected to get dangerously low again.

Business owners are also urged to conserve energy.

“We’re in contact with our business customers as well as our industrial commercial customers and our residential customers alike asking everybody to cut back if they can,” Baker said. “But of course, this is voluntary, so we’re not forcing anybody, we’re not mandating that anybody conserve energy right now.”

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