Avista says approximately 2,000 customers should expect to be without power for a prolonged period of time after a tree came in contact with a transmission line.
Avista customers in Gifford, Hunters, Fruitland, Two Rivers, Inchelium and the surrounding areas are affected at this time, according to the company. Crews has removed the tree and are currently assessing the damage it caused.
"Approximately 2,000 customers are impacted by the outage" the company said in a release. "At a minimum the power will be out until early Thursday morning. Avista will provide an updated estimated restoration time once the substation equipment has been evaluated. Crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to the impacted areas."
If you experience an outage, you are encouraged to report it at myAvista.com or on Avista's mobile app. You can also call 1-800-227-9187.
“We understand the inconvenience that a prolonged outage can cause and we’re actively communicating with the communities we serve to keep them aware of the situation,” said Cesar Godinez, Avista’s manager of operations for Colville. “We will continue to communicate throughout the duration of this outage.”
Avista customer service representatives have a variety of resources available to assist customers in need. Customers who have questions or concerns can contact Avista at (800) 227-9187.
Avista offered the following tips to customers:
- If you see a downed power line, stay away. Treat all power lines as if they are carrying electrical current, and never touch, drive over, or move one.
- Turn off all the appliances that were on before the power went out.
- Unplug electronic equipment, including computers.
- Leave a light or radio on as an alert when power has been restored.
- Do not wire an emergency generator into a home’s electrical system, unless there is a disconnect switch to separate generated power from Avista’s distribution system. Back feed into power lines could injure or kill a lineman working to get electricity restored.
- Use a generator only to run specific appliances and locate it outside so poisonous carbon monoxide fumes do not enter the home.
(story: KHQ.com; image: myAvista.com)