PACIFIC POWER CREWS METHODICALLY RESTORING POWER TO WILLAMETTE VALLEY COMMUNITIES AFTER RECORD-SETTING SPRING SNOW STORM
Posted: March 22nd, 2012 5:03 PM
Contact Info: March 22, 2012
Pacific Power media hotline FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
800-570-5838
Pacific Power crews methodically restoring power to Willamette Valley communities after record-setting Spring snow storm
Repair and restoration progress continues through Thursday, though some isolated customers should prepare to be without power into Friday
ALBANY, Ore.--Pacific Power crews from throughout Oregon, worked diligently to restore customers' power through the night, and are gaining ground steadily today to restore service to their customers who are still without electricity.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday approximately 2,800 remain without electricity, down from a peak of 12,000 on Wednesday. Here are the hardest hit communities with currently projected restoration times.
- Albany, 220 customers, Thursday midnight
- Brownsville, 50 customers, Friday between noon and 3 p.m.
- Sweet Home,1,313 customers, Friday between 8 and 10 p.m.
- Lebanon, 6 customers, Thursday 10 p.m.
- Harrisburg, 42 customers, Thursday 8 p.m.
- Junction City, 29 customers, Thursday 8 p.m.
- Dallas, 12 customers, Thursday midnight
- Independence, 45 customers, Thursday midnight
- Corvallis, 524 customers, Friday 1 p.m.
- Lyons- Mill City, 474 customers, Friday 3 p.m.
- Stayton, 27 customers, Friday 3 p.m.
"The company thanks customers, community officials and emergency responders for their patience and assistance while the wintry mess is untangled and the system is put back together," said Pat Egan, Pacific Power vice president of costumer and community affairs. "We urge everyone to stay safe and warm and to look out for neighbors who may be needing help."
While the company expects to make additional significant progress in restoring power throughout Thursday, working in heavy snow often through thickly wooded areas, some customers should be prepared to be without power through the night and into Friday.
Pacific Power now has more than 100 personnel in the Willamette Valley to deal with downed lines, fallen trees, damaged and broken power poles and other damage to its system from the storm. Landslides and road closures have further limited access and complicated efforts to restore power.
As a result, restoration work will be especially time-consuming in the many locations where a line is down that serves individual customers. To expedite restoration, customers are asked to check to see if there is damage to their meter base or weatherhead, where the power line connects to your house. If so, it will need to be repaired by a licensed electrician before power can be safely restored to the home.
Working with local emergency management officials, Pacific Power urges customers to stay safe.
- Avoid any downed lines. Always assume they are energized and very dangerous.
- Conserve warmth.
- Use fires and candles wisely.
- Do not use BBQs indoors.
- If using a generator, make sure it is properly wired into your home and that fumes from the unit are vented well away from any living areas.
Once again, please remember to stay far away from any downed lines and always assume they are energized and dangerous. Call 1-877-508-5088 or 9-1-1 to report any downed lines.
To report an outage or for more information, call Pacific Power toll free at 877-508-5088.
For periodic updates, got to pacificpower.net.
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