Pacific Power crews restored 14,500 customers from widespread snow-caused outages in Roseburg, southern Willamette Valley

Pacific Power - 02/26/19

Pacific Power crews restored 14,500 customers from widespread snow-caused outages in Roseburg, southern Willamette Valley 

150 crew members are at work in Douglas County focused on repairing lines in hard-hit county where more than 20,000 customers remain without power

ROSEBURG, OREGON –Working throughout the day, Pacific Power crews restored electrical service to nearly 14,500 customers in the Willamette Valley and Roseburg. On the afternoon of Feb. 25, more than 42,000 Pacific Power customers were without service due to a quick-hitting snowstorm that dropped more than a foot of heavy wet snow on the region.

“Our crews are making steady progress restoring customers despite being hindered by recent road closures and tough weather conditions,” said David Lucas, vice president of operations. “That said, we still have a lot of our customers, especially in Douglas County, who will be spending another night without power. We appreciate the patience we have seen from customers who understand that our crews are facing some very challenging obstacles due to downed trees as they work to repair a tremendous amount of damage.”

At this time, 150 crew members are at work in Douglas County, where approximately 20,000 customers remain without power. In the Willamette Valley communities of Cottage Grove, Lebanon and Junction City another 150 crew members are restoring the approximately 3,500 customers currently without power there.

In Douglas County, the crews continue to repair transmission lines and substations first so that when local lines are repaired, restoration to large numbers of customers will then be possible. Pacific Power is still working toward providing solid restoration estimates for customers.

As the restoration continues, Pacific Power asks that residents concentrate on their own safety and comfort.

• Stay away from any downed power lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 immediately and then call us toll free at 1-877-508-5088 to report. Keep everyone, including pets, out of the area.
• Never use kerosene or propane heaters inside without proper ventilation. They create dangerous fumes. Also, don't use charcoal in your house or garage. If you use a fireplace or wood stove to keep warm, pay careful attention to fire hazards.
• Stay warm by wearing multiple layers of clothing. Add a hat and blanket for extra comfort.  Put blankets or towels around windows and doors to help keep the heat in.
• Protect your pipes during freezing weather by wrapping them with insulation. Also, leave faucets dripping so water won't freeze and crack the pipes.
• As much as possible, don’t open refrigerators and freezers -they will keep food and perishables inside cold for some time when kept closed.
• Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
• If you use a portable electric generator, please do so with caution. Remember to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Generators should be outside or in a well ventilated unoccupied space.  Never plug your generator into an outlet and don't connect a generator directly to your home's main fuse box or circuit panel. This can create a dangerous back feed hazard for line crews.

For more tips, please visit pacificpower.net/outage.

Warming shelters in Douglas County are located at:

• Dream Center Warming Shelter

813 SE Lane Avenue, Roseburg

• Roseburg Rescue Mission

752 SE Pine Street, Roseburg,

• Sutherlin Community Center

150 Willamette Street, Sutherlin, OR

• Winston Foursquare Church , 
  540 SE Main St, Winston
• Yoncalla Elementary Gym,
  400 First Street, Yoncalla
• Drain Civic Center, 
  400 W. Ave, Drain  

Customers and media representatives can also track outages of any size online. Updates will be made as new information becomes available or at least hourly at pacificpower.net/outage.