Puget Sound Energy restores power for Issaquah, surrounding communities
January 25, 2012
NEW — 12:35 p.m. Jan. 25, 2012
Crews restored power to Issaquah and surrounding communities Wednesday, after snow, ice and wind damaged transmission lines.
Strong winds Tuesday night caused additional damage and outages for 38,000 customers across Western Washington. Crews managed to repair most of wind-related outages throughout the night and restore power for 28,000 customers.
Restoration work is completed for Issaquah, plus Hobart, Mirrormont and Preston in the Issaquah area — unincorporated communities hit hard in a snowstorm and a rare ice storm last week.
Crews working on the PSE system Wednesday remain on schedule to complete the restoration work to customers without power for almost a week.
Cleanup continues after snowstorm and ice cause havoc
January 24, 2012
State Route 900 remains barricaded at midafternoon Jan. 20 to motorists wanting to go southbound past Northwest Talus Drive, a day after a downed tree blocked access to the urban village. By Greg Farrar
In the days after a snowstorm pummeled the region, blackout chased whiteout, as residents uneasy about thorny commutes and missed meetings instead confronted sinking temperatures and toppling trees — all sans electricity.
The major snowstorm dropped 3 to 6 inches across the Issaquah area Jan. 18, but the struggle started the next day, as a rare ice storm led to widespread power outages and caused trees to send ice- and snow-laden branches earthward.
The harsh conditions tested road crews, prompted spinouts and fender benders around the region, and led officials to cancel school for almost a week.
“It was like a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 punch,” Bret Heath, city Public Works Operations and emergency management director, said Jan. 23, as cleanup efforts continued. “For awhile there, I wasn’t sure if we were ever going to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Some Issaquah customers face wait for power restoration
January 22, 2012
NEW — 12:40 p.m. Jan. 22, 2012
Some Puget Sound Energy customers in the Issaquah area could remain without power until late Wednesday evening, as utility crews continue the arduous cleanup from crippling winter storms last week.
Customers in Issaquah and unincorporated King County communities — Hobart and Preston — face the longest waits for restoration, late Wednesday evening.
Power is expected to be restored in Mirrormont on Tiger Mountain by early Monday evening.
In a proposed restoration timeline released Saturday evening, Bellevue-based PSE said communities in forested or remote areas face the longest waits.
Crews restore power to some Issaquah residents, but others wait
January 20, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. Jan. 20, 2012
Puget Sound Energy crews had restored power to many Issaquah neighborhoods by early Friday evening, but large swaths remained in the dark as workers race to restore power across the region.
Downtown residents reported power coming back just after 5:30 p.m. Crews restored power for residents in some areas, including the Issaquah Highlands, late Thursday.
Puget Sound Energy estimated 8,876 customers in Issaquah without power early Friday evening — down from about 18,000 customers without power midday Thursday. Crews continue to work on restoring power to the areas left in the dark.
Still, despite the success, officials remained concerned about the possibility of additional weather challenges in the days ahead.
Officials urge residents to check on elderly neighbors as outage lingers
January 20, 2012
NEW — 11 a.m. Jan. 20, 2012
The pummeling from winter weather for several days means many people, especially senior citizens and people of limited mobility, have been stuck at home for almost a week.
Officials urged residents in Issaquah and elsewhere in King County to check on people in their neighborhoods to see if they need assistance. Consider inviting people without power to a warm place to heat up amid the ongoing power outage.
(Puget Sound Energy estimated about 11,000 customers without power in Issaquah early Thursday morning.)
Residents can also seek refuge at a 24-hour shelter at the Issaquah Community Center, 301 Rainer Blvd. S. The shelter is operated by the city and the American Red Cross.
Officials also reminded people to limit calls to 911 to actual emergencies.
In Issaquah, power outage, travel headaches continue for another day
January 20, 2012
Rodney Amburgey, a lineman with City Pacific Services contracted to Puget Sound Energy, works Jan. 20 to secure a broken and dangling utility pole crossbeam at Southeast May Valley Road and 231st Place Southeast. By Greg Farrar
NEW — 6:30 a.m. Jan. 20, 2012
Though the forecast calls for temperatures to inch upward Friday, effects from a major snowstorm and rare ice storm continue to impact Issaquah residents.
Puget Sound Energy estimated 11,235 customers remained without power in Issaquah at 6:10 a.m. — a drop from the more than 18,000 left in the dark Thursday. Difficult road conditions continue to challenge motorists on city streets and roads in unincorporated King County.
City road crews continue to focus on maintaining priority routes and removing downed trees from the roadway. Numerous roads in Issaquah and nearby areas closed Thursday due to fallen trees and downed power lines.
Issaquah Community Center opens as 24-hour shelter
January 19, 2012
Barry Morgan (right), American Red Cross volunteer, registers the 100th client at the Issaquah Community Center at 3 p.m. Jan. 20 for a place to stay. Volunteer Stan McKenzie and service dog Katsu are at left. By Greg Farrar
NEW — 9:20 p.m. Jan. 19, 2012
The city and the American Red Cross partnered to turn the Issaquah Community Center into a shelter for people without heat and power.
The 24-hour shelter opened Thursday night at the community center, 301 Rainier Blvd. S.
Issaquah road closures expand due to downed power lines, fallen trees
January 19, 2012
NEW — 7:50 p.m. Jan. 19, 2012
Trees loaded with snow continue to snap and fall on state highways and local streets across Issaquah and nearby unincorporated areas, causing street closures.
Crews said a coating of ice on trees and power lines is further complicating travel. Motorists should be on the lookout for falling debris as well as ice on roads.
Early Thursday, crews responded a downed tree and power lines on state Route 900 between Northwest Talus Drive and the southern city limits. The stretch between the access road to the Talus urban village and the city line closed early Thursday and remains closed as Puget Sound Energy crews tend to the problem.
Southeast 56th Street from 229th Avenue Southeast to East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast is closed due to downed power lines.
On Squak Mountain, Highwood Drive Southwest near the intersection of Greenwood Boulevard Southwest is closed and Southwest Forest Drive is closed from Wildwood Boulevard Southwest to Wildwood Boulevard Southwest. In addition, the road is closed at 845 S.W. Ellerwood St.
City activates Emergency Operations Center, Eastside Fire & Rescue opens shelters
January 19, 2012
NEW — 5:10 p.m. Jan. 19, 2012
City officials opened the Emergency Operations Center on Thursday afternoon to coordinate the response to a major snowstorm and ice storm, and subsequent power outages across Issaquah and the region.
The decision came as more than 18,000 customers in Issaquah faced nightfall without power and temperatures in the low 30s. Puget Sound Energy is in the midst of a colossal effort to restore power to about 200,000 customers in Western Washington. In a tweet posted at 4:59 p.m., PSE said people without power should not expect to have power restored Thursday night.
Meanwhile, Eastside Fire & Rescue opened Fire Station 82, 1851 228th Ave. N.E., and Fire Station 83, 3425 Issaquah-Pine Lake Road S.E., as warming shelters.
Puget Sound Energy reports more than 17,000 Issaquah customers without power
January 19, 2012
NEW — 1:40 p.m. Jan. 19, 2012
Puget Sound Energy said almost 30,000 local customers lack power as a crippling ice storm impacts the region.
The utility said 17,281 customers in Issaquah and 12,369 customers in Sammamish lacked power at 1:25 p.m. (Customers can check PSE’s service map for detailed information.)
PSE estimated power restoration could take several days — or longer — as crews confront difficult situations related to ice and snow, the utility announced in a tweet.
If the power goes out, PSE customers can call the utility’s automated phone system at 1-888-225-5773 to report outages and learn about service updates.
Overall, outages impacted more than 180,000 customers across Western Washington. Bellevue-based PSE requested 140 additional crews from other states to address the problems and restore power.
“We appreciate our customers’ patience as we work to repair power as quickly as possible,” PSE posted in a tweet at noon.
