Wildfire damage continues to impact Avista customers

Avista said Sunday it has restored service to customers affected solely by the Public Safety Power Shutoffs implemented Saturday due to extreme wildfire risk conditions across portions of Washington and Idaho. 

However, active wildfire conditions and significant fire-related damage continue to affect electric and natural gas service for customers in parts of the Spokane area, a press release said.

In the Indian Trail area and other locations that were part of the PSPS event, customers should be aware that any remaining outages are no longer related to the Public Safety Power Shutoff. Customers who remain without power are being impacted by active wildfire conditions, damaged infrastructure, evacuation restrictions or ongoing safety concerns associated with the fires.

"We know this has been an incredibly difficult and heartbreaking weekend for many members of our community," said Heather Rosentrater, Avista president and CEO. "Many families, which include a number of Avista employees, have been forced from their homes. Neighborhoods have been impacted by these devastating fires, and thousands of customers are facing ongoing uncertainty. Our thoughts are with everyone affected."

She said while service has been restored to customers impacted solely by the Public Safety Power Shutoff, thousands of customers are still without power.

"As emergency responders are continuing to secure affected areas, the full extent of the damage remains unclear," Rosentrater said. "Our teams are working around the clock to assess damage where we can, make repairs and restore service as quickly and safely as possible."

As Avista crews continue damage assessments, the company has identified significant impacts to transmission infrastructure, particularly in West Spokane. 

Multiple transmission lines in the area sustained damage as a result of wildfire activity. While Avista has taken steps to maintain service to as many customers as possible, customers may experience periodic power outages in the coming days as crews evaluate damage and make necessary repairs to the transmission system, the release said.

The damaged transmission system is currently operating with reduced capacity while repairs are underway. 

"As we continue repairs, we are asking customers to voluntarily conserve energy where practical. Small actions such as raising thermostats a few degrees, limiting the use of large appliances and turning off unnecessary lights can help reduce demand and support efforts to keep power flowing to as many customers as possible," the release said. "With warmer temperatures expected in the days ahead, community-wide conservation can play an important role in supporting restoration efforts and reducing additional outage."

The situation remains dynamic and outage impacts may change as additional information becomes available. 

Avista will provide updates as repair plans are developed and estimated restoration timelines become clearer. 

About 5,300 natural gas customers remain out of service In addition to electric system impacts, approximately 5,300 natural gas customers are currently without service due to wildfire-related damage, access restrictions and safety considerations in affected areas.

Natural gas has been shutoff in these areas, but residual gas in the lines may result in flares until the gas that remained in the pipe is consumed.

Before natural gas service can be restored, Avista crews must safely access impacted neighborhoods, complete damage assessments and ensure the integrity of the gas distribution system. In some areas, restoration activities cannot begin until fire officials determine conditions are safe and evacuation restrictions are lifted.