SAN ANTONIO – Close to 3,000 CPS Energy customers were without electricity Monday at one point due to the cold weather.
Most of the outages were located on the far West Side near Highway 151 and West Military Drive where more than 2,700 customers were without power Monday morning. The utility company said the outages were weather-related and by the afternoon most customers had their service restored.
ERCOT issued an energy conservation appeal until 10 a.m. on Monday as temperatures dipped down into the teens in the San Antonio area with some freezing drizzle.
The energy organization issued another appeal from 6-9 a.m. on Tuesday.
For anyone needing a place to stay warm, warming centers are open in San Antonio and Bexar County.
Watch KSAT’s live arctic air tracker to see temperatures drop across the region.
You can track area power outages below in the CPS Energy power outage map.
Multiple crashes were reported Monday morning, and people are being warned to stay off the roads, if possible. San Antonio city leaders canceled Monday’s MLK March and Celebration. Some districts that did not already have the holiday off, have announced delays and cancellations.
KSAT Connect users are posting videos and pictures of icy conditions where they are.
According to CPS Energy, customers can prepare for power outages at home by:
- Locating flashlights and ensuring they have fresh batteries
- Charging phones, laptops or other electronic devices
- Updating their alert preferences through Manage My Account on cpsenergy.com; this will keep them informed as to the status of their power outage
During a power outage, customers should:
- Stay informed by viewing the latest outage information on CPS Energy's outage map and receiving updates through Facebook and Twitter.
- Stay away from downed power lines! Treat all wires as if they are "live" (energized). Report damaged power lines immediately by calling 911 and CPS Energy at 353-4327.
- Protect electronic devices such as televisions, stereos, computers and printers with a power strip equipped with a surge protector to avoid sudden spikes and surges that could damage electrical devices when power is restored.
- Keep one light turned on to know when power has been restored.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to keep food cold longer. According to the American Red Cross, an unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold for about four hours. Also, a full freezer will keep the temperature for 48 hours if the door remains closed.
- Use caution with candles and generators, carefully placing them so as not to create a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.
- Use caution when driving, as traffic signals may be disrupted. Turn around, don't drown.
- To report an outage or view a near-real-time map of affected areas, call 210-353-HELP (4357) or visit cpsenergy.com and click on Outage Center.
For the current energy conservation level, tips, and other information:
- CPS Energy Winter Preparedness & Safety Tips: https://www.cpsenergy.com/winter
- CPS Energy Conservation Levels: https://www.cpsenergy.com/conservation
- ERCOT Dashboard (More information on Advisories, EEA1, EEA2, & EEA3)
- TXANS (ercot.com) - A communications tool that delivers clear and reliable information on ERCOT grid conditions.