Wednesday's morning sun in Spokane fell on downed trees, muddied cars, and thousands of residents without electrical power. More people are without power than during Ice Storm, the 1996 weather event where some residential areas stayed dark for two weeks. All companies ask customers to prepare for a few days without power.
Avista
Avista, the largest power company in the region, says 25 crews are assessing the damage in Spokane County alone. If a crew is working in your neighborhood, the company asks you to turn on your porch light. This helps the crews determine which homes still need power.
Let Avista know about any downed power lines:
- 1-800-227-9187
- askavista@avistautilities.com
- Report online
Kootenai Electric
Kootenai Electric is spending today assessing the damage, with "countless broken poles and lines," according to a statement. 10,000 of its members are without power. Outages should only be reported to 1-877-744-1055.
Inland Power
All crews are assessing the situation, and the company has called in contract crews and workers from neighboring cities. Report outages to 1-877-668-8243.
Vera Water and Power
The Spokane Valley company's reporting line is (509) 924-3800. Email is checked sporatically, but they invite customers to email a photo of a damaged meter base or mast.
Electric Wells Offline
A serious issue for many North Idaho residents is lack of water. Most wells rely on electric power to draw water. The Red Cross recommends storing a gallon of water per person per day, so those without generators will need bottled water until power is restored.