The Latest: More utilities start rolling blackouts

The Latest on winter weather across the U.S. (all times local):

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Some energy companies have begun implementing rolling power outages in response to overwhelming demand for power during record-setting low temperatures and wind chills.

The Southwest Power Pool, a group of utilities across 14 states, called for rolling outages because the supply of reserve energy had been exhausted. Some utilities said they were starting blackouts, while others urged customers to reduce power usage.

Evergy in eastern Kansas and western Missouri began 30 to 60-minute blackouts Monday shortly after noon. City Utilities in Springfield and the city of Independence also implemented rolling blackouts to their customers.

The power blackouts come as nearly all of Missouri is gripped by temperatures that barely reached zero degrees, and wind chills that in some areas registered at minus 30.

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HOUSTON — A winter storm making its way from the southern Plains to the Northeast is affecting air travel.

Officials said Bush Intercontinental Airport runways will remain closed until at least 1 p.m. Tuesday, as the region remains under the grip of subfreezing temperatures. That's a day longer than previously estimated.

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DALLAS — The nation’s largest oil refinery shut down because of the winter weather hitting Texas.

Motiva said it shut down the Port Arthur, Texas, refinery due to “unprecedented” freezing conditions along the Gulf Coast.

The company said it was monitoring the weather and would resume operations “as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Many power-generating plants in the state remained offline, causing utilities to impose rolling blackouts.

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OMAHA, Neb. -- Nebraska saw a number of low-temperature records...