Avista warns of potential power shutoff

Due to forecasted high-fire-risk conditions throughout the Inland Northwest, some Avista customers could experience a Public Safety Power Shutoff on Saturday. 

"At this time, no power shutoff has been implemented. However, customers should prepare for the possibility of an outage if weather conditions worsen as expected," a press release said Thursday. "If power is shut off at your location to reduce the risk of wildfire, Avista will not turn it back on until the risk has passed and conditions are safe to do so. Before power can be restored, crews must inspect affected power lines and equipment to ensure it is safe to re-energize them."

Avista will provide daily updates until the high fire risk has passed or power has been restored. 

A Public Safety Power Shutoff is a targeted, temporary outage in areas facing severe wildfire risk. PSPS is a last-resort measure, used only when weather conditions such as high winds and low humidity create a heightened wildfire threat, the release said.

What you need to know

Depending on how long high-fire-risk weather conditions last, or if repairs are needed to damaged power lines, power could stay off longer than 24 hours.  

Plan for the care of your pets and livestock, including access to water, feed, shelter, and any equipment that requires electricity.

Review your emergency plan and make sure everyone in your household knows what to do if the power goes out.

Avista will continue to monitor high-fire risk conditions and will contact you with further updates.  

Customers who could be affected by this potential proactive step will receive direct communication.

To help complete inspections as efficiently and safely as possible, crews may use drones to assess power lines and equipment, including in hard-to-reach areas. Customers may see drones operating near utility infrastructure as part of the restoration process.  

If you have a backup generator, please do a safety check.

If you rely on uninterrupted power for your health and safety or need assistance, additional support may be available. 

Info: myavista.com/PSPS