Public officials and utilities have asked the public to turn thermostats down and conserve electricity as severe cold wreaks havoc on the Midwest power grid. Evergy, the state’s largest utility, announced plans Monday afternoon to begin shutting off power for rotating blocks of customers for 30-60 minutes at a time. Gov. Laura Kelly declared a state of emergency Sunday in anticipation of sub-zero temperatures and wind chills that reached the -30s. She planned a news conference for 2:30 p.m. Monday to provide an update on the situation. “As the extreme cold temperatures continue to affect the region, we are urging Kansans to conserve energy in order to help ensure a continued supply of natural gas and electricity and keep their own personal costs down,” Kelly said.