by Devin McCue, Sumner Newscow — With the cold weather on everyone’s mind, the Wellington City Council discussed the Energy Emergency Alert system at its second February meeting on Tuesday at the council chambers.

After a brief delay without audio on the live stream, the main topic of conversation turned to the power situation in the city. The Council discussed the Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) levels and what they meant for the city in light of the recent snowstorm and arctic conditions. The EEA levels are designated as follows:

• • Level 1: Declared when all available resources have been committed to meet obligations, and the Southwest Power Pool (SSP) is at risk of not meeting required operating reserves.
  

  • Level 2: Declared when SPP can no longer provide expected energy requirements and is an Energy Deficient Entity, or when SPP foresees or has implemented procedures up to, but excluding, interruption of firm load commitments.

  • Level 3: At this level, SPP is utilizing operating reserves such that it is carrying reserves below the required minimum and has initiated assistance through the Reserve Sharing Group. Declared when SPP foresees or has implemented firm load obligation interruption. Before requesting an EEA 3, SPP will have already provided the appropriate internal notifications to its Market Participants.

  Wellington had been downgraded earlier on Tuesday to Level 1 with the understanding that the Level would likely fluctuate through the next 24 hours. That prediction came true within the course of the meeting when SPP upgraded the city back to Level 2.

  City officials advised the public to conserve energy during this time to ease the stress on the power grid and prevent the need for future blackouts. After the weather passes and the power grid situation is resolved, city officials promise there will be a review to update alert system to better keep the public informed.

  Hospital building … 

  The council heard a report concerning the status of the emergency room opening. As was reported a week ago, the opening of the emergency room center was delayed after a Kansas State Fire Marshall inspection. According to Wellington City Manager Shane Shields, there were five issues that needed to be addressed after the inspection. Those issues were met on Monday, Shields said, and a letter was sent to the fire marshall’s office to proceed since the resolutions were meant. However, Ascension and the City of Wellington then learned thereafter that it would need 11 additional smoke detectors in the e.r. facility which costs about $12,500.

  Shields said the city is working with the Wellington Health Care Authority to see what money could come out of the sales tax initiative.

  He also said the city emphasized with the State Fire Marshall office that the space that was previously used for a hospital portion of the building will not be a working area for the E.R. The state fire marshall is requiring a new sprinkler system be put in place before that space is used.

  The date of the opening of the e.r. is still not set.

  In other news…

  •The council passed a resolution and an ordinance related to the construction of the emergency room department project of $500,000 in general obligation bonds to Sumner-Cowley Electric Co.

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