PSE prepares for incoming storms, offers tips to customers

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is advising customers of potential outages resulting from back-to-back weather systems forecasted across its service area over the coming holiday week.

Gusty winds are predicted for Saturday morning and we may see power outages as a result. While long-range forecasts are still uncertain, systems forecasted for late Monday afternoon and again late Wednesday have the potential to cause widespread outage across the service territory. Of particular concern is the chance for strong easterly winds on Monday, similar to November’s Bomb Cyclone. This can be a particular issue on the West slopes of the Cascade mountain range, impacting communities like Enumclaw, North Bend, Maple Valley and Black Diamond. While Monday’s storm is not forecasted to be as strong as the recent Bomb Cyclone, winds from the east cause more significant damage because trees root against more common west-southwesterly winds. East winds can also damage our Cross-Cascade infrastructure, which is in some of the hardest-to-reach, mountainous terrain. 

Monday’s storm may be followed by a strong weather system arriving late Wednesday with gusty southerly winds across all of Western Washington. We are preparing now and will work over the weekend to secure additional resources. Our first responders are ready and we are bringing in additional field resources, including, line and trees crews from outside the area. We have been replenishing material supplies to ensure we are ready. As the weather approaches, we will proactively deploy resources in advance to speed up restoration. Crews will be working to get the lights back on as quickly and as safely as possible.

When there is a significant amount of outages and extensive damage, it can take between 24-48 hours to establish estimated restoration times. Full restoration across our 6,000 square mile service territory and 1.2 million electric customers can take even longer.

We know how frustrating it is to be without power, even more so over the holidays. We encourage customers to be prepared now before the storm hits.

Tips for Customer Preparation / Response

Puget Sound Energy encourages customers to be prepared for the possibility of extended power outages when major windstorms hit the region.

Here are some helpful tips for weathering a storm:

• Assemble an emergency kit. It should include a flashlight, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, bottled water, nonperishable food, and a battery-powered radio or TV.  (PSE issues regular outage-restoration reports on our Call Center telephone system and Web site, as well as to the local TV, radio, and newspapers.)
• Have an adequate blanket supply on hand for extended outages. If necessary, blankets or cardboard can be hung over windows and doorways to minimize heat loss from a designated “warm” room.
• Avoid opening and closing refrigerators and freezers more often than necessary. Food in a closed refrigerator will stay cold for about 12 hours.
• Turn off lights and unplug all appliances and sensitive electronic equipment, such as computers, to prevent an overload on your circuits when electric service is restored. Leave just one light on to let you know when service returns.
• Do not use charcoal or a gas grill to cook indoors. Both can cause a buildup of poisonous carbon monoxide gas.
• If you use a portable home generator, read the manufacturer’s instructions – well before a storm hits – for the safe operation of the generator. Do not operate generators indoors or in enclosed spaces to avoid the buildup of carbon monoxide.
• If you encounter a downed power line, stay at least 35 feet away from the line or anything it may be touching. Immediately report the location of fallen wires to Puget Sound Energy or by calling 911.

For more on how to be prepared and stay safe if the power goes out visit pse.com/storm.