Expert explains weeklong power outages after severe storms hit Wyandotte County
Power has been nearly restored in Wyandotte County after last week's severe storms left many residents without electricity for seven days, forcing some families to relocate temporarily and others to deal with spoiled food and a lack of air conditioning.
The National Weather Service reported that downburst wind gusts from the storm reached speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour, knocking out power to one in four customers in the area.
Dr. Anil Pahwa, an electrical engineering professor at Kansas State University who specializes in power distribution systems, described the situation as unusual.
"I think it's just bad luck in my opinion," Pahwa said. "It's one of those things that happen once in a blue moon type situation."
Pahwa, who is familiar with employees at the Board of Public Utilities, said that the size of the utility could be a factor in the challenges faced during restoration efforts.
"The basic size of the utility itself is sometimes the concern," he said.
BPU employs 38 linemen and brought in an additional 172 linemen through mutual aid and contractors, along with 85 tree trimmers, to assist with the restoration.
As a publicly owned utility, BPU is not rate-regulated by any state agency, and no state regulator will review the restoration process.
"I think one part of it is because that's the older part of the city," Pahwa said.
In a 2021 presentation to its board, BPU identified trees as the leading cause of power outages across its system.
The utility had budgeted $2.7 million annually for tree trimming, a decrease from an average of $3.3 million in previous years.
"I don't think I would blame BPU in this situation because I think this is just bad luck," Pahwa said.
KMBC reached out to the mayor's office, BPU staff, and board members, but were unsuccessful in getting them on camera.
However, one board member acknowledged over the phone that they understand residents' frustrations and are working to restore power as quickly as possible.
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