PUC urges conserving of electricity; warming shelters available for those caught in power outages

Dec. 25—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — As the region wrestles with weather-related power outages along with freezing temperatures, the state Public Utility Commission on Saturday urged the public to conserve electricity over the holiday weekend.

"The call for energy conservation comes as the power grid operator for the mid-Atlantic region — PJM Interconnection — issued an expanded cold weather alert and request for conservation in Pennsylvania, along with the 12 other states and the District of Columbia," the PUC said in a news release.

PJM is asking consumers to reduce their use of electricity, if health conditions allow, through 10 a.m. on Sunday, Christmas Day.

"The continuing extreme cold weather is expected to increase electricity demand across the PJM region, which serves approximately 65 million people, along with the regions neighboring PJM," the PUC said.

The state agency offered these electricity conservation tips:

—Set thermostats lower than usual, if health allows.

—Postpone use of major electric appliances such as stoves, dishwashers and clothes dryers until other times.

—Turn off non-essential electric lights, equipment and appliances.

Locally, Penelec reported more than 4,800 power outages across Cambria County on Friday due to harsh winter weather.

Cambria County Emergency Managment Agency Director Art Martynuska said four emergency heat shelters were available in the Revloc, Colver, Ebensburg and Reade areas of Cambria County. Anybody who needs assistance can call 814-472-2100.

An emergency warming shelter was opened Friday inside The Grove in Westmont for Brownstown-area residents without power. A tree sheared a utility pole that carried a main power line in the Brownstown neighborhood, closing Gilbert Street, Cambria County 911 officials said.

That disrupted power for more than 100 Penelec customers by midday, but West Hills Regional Fire Department Chief Rob Tauber said power came back to the Brownstown area around 3 p.m. Friday, and there were no shelters in use in the West Hills area as of Friday night.

"Everything is back to normal in Brownstown," he said. "Everybody has power, and there's no need for shelters unless people say we need to reevaluate the situation."

Places to get warm

Somerset County Emergency Management Director Joel Landis said Salisbury, Meyersdale and Rockwood volunteer fire departments served as warming shelters on Friday.

None of those shelters were in use as of Saturday. However, anyone in need of warming shelters is welcome. Requests for warming shelters in Somerset can me made by calling (814) 445-1525.

With a winter front sweeping in with potentially 50-mph wind gusts and wind chills of 30 below zero, those conditions can pose a risk for people both outside and inside their homes, West Hills fire Chief Robert Tauber said.

Particularly in older, less insulated homes, the heat inside a home can escape quickly, allowing for hypothermia risks, he said.

Residents seeking help can call Cambria County's non-emergency number and request support.

"They can dial 814-472-2100 and tell them what their concern is and we'll take it from there," Tauber said. "There's help if they need it."

Revloc and Somerset County's Markleton area were reporting significant outages Friday.

They were among approximately two dozen outages — most of them small and impacting a handful of homes — that were reported as of 1 p.m. in Cambria County.

Revloc near the U.S. Route 422 corridor had more than 500 homes with service interrupted.

A section of state Route 553 in Barr Township was also closed after a crash that injured one woman, Nicktown fire Chief Greg Shank said.

Shank said hazardous weather conditions were keeping the road closed until further notice.

"The visibility on Ridge Road right now is zero," he said late Friday morning.

Shank said the crash occurred just after 8 a.m. involving a rear-end collision.

One motorist was transported from the scene with minor injuries by Veterans EMS, he said.

The individual was taken to Miners Medical Center, according to Cambria County 911 officials.

Shank said a tow truck hauled away the damaged vehicle, but responders decided to keep the road closed until visibility and road conditions improve.