Legalectric

In the St.PPP today:

Lightning strikes power plant

Lightning struck a coal-fired power plant near Wausau Wednesday, prompting Wisconsin Public Service Corp. to ask customers in north-central and northern Wisconsin to conserve electricity.

Lightning struck Weston 3, one of several coal-fired units at the Weston plant, early Wednesday, Wisconsin Public Service Corp said. Also, a separate coal unit there is out of service because of a small coal fire in that unit’s pulverizer, WPS said.

That fire was contained and nobody was hurt, and that unit is expected to return to service today.

The Green Bay-based utility said it has interrupted service to large commercial industrial customers in the area. It urged customers in the Wausau, Merrill, Tomahawk, Minocqua and Rhinelander areas to take steps to reduce their energy use.

Utility spokeswoman Kelly Zagrzebski said the risk of power failures is slight, but that the appeal to conserve power was a precaution.

That utility and two Madison-based utilities asked for customers to reduce electricity use to help reduce demand across the Midwest power grid Tuesday afternoon.