LINCOLN - Gov. Jim Pillen declared a state of emergency for 20 counties impacted by a winter storm on Wednesday.

Counties covered by today’s emergency declaration include Burt, Butler, Cass, Clay, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Lancaster, Platte, Polk, Nuckolls, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Thayer, Thurston, Washington, Wayne and York

Initial damage estimates currently exceed $21 million.

 

OPPD says power outages impact 132,000 customers for the 18-hour duration of the storm. It is described as the fifth biggest outage in OPPD’s history. OPPD reported 600 people working on repairs following a “500-year ice event.”

OPPD: "This event marks the fifth-largest outage in our history, measured by the number of customers who lost power. However, in terms of damage to OPPD infrastructure, it is by far the largest we have ever encountered. Huge sections of circuits and lines were ripped out by hurricane-force winds, necessitating a complete rebuild of those areas and the removal of trees, debris and broken equipment. When it’s all said and done, we anticipate that we will have replaced nearly 1,200 poles."

Typically, spring blizzards bring about 1 to 1.25 inches of ice, however, this storm resulted in an unprecedented accumulation of three to five inches of ice.

The combination of heavy ice and high winds in excess of 50 mph caused significant damage to poles and electrical equipment.

NPPD reports over 11,000 customers without power at the peak of the storm.

A power crew from Wheat Belt Public Power District sent five linemen on Thursday to assist Perennial Public Power District with their storm restoration. Another five-man crew replaced them on Monday and plan to stay throughout the week. 

 
 

 Photos by Nebraska Public Power District