Pacific Power crews at work restoring Lincoln City customers after snow and wind slam coast

PORTLAND, Ore.  – Pacific Power crews are busy assessing and restoring weather related outages in Lincoln City while preparing for potential additional outages in western valleys as the Pacific Northwest continues to dig out from a fast-moving storm that dumped record amounts of snow in many communities and has blocked roadways throughout the region.

“Right now, our major area of concentrated effort is the Lincoln City area,” said Allen Berreth, vice president of operations. “Initially system reports were indicating the outages in Lincoln City were larger than they actually were. But within an hour that issue was resolved. We are now looking at about 2,800 customers without power and we are working to get those homes and businesses restored as quickly and as safely as possible.”

Regionwide, the snowstorm dropped large amounts of snow, but it was less dense than the heavy wet snow that fell over the holidays. Fewer outages have occurred due to falling tree limbs than the December 2022 event.

However, the Pacific Power meteorology team is continuing to monitor the situation. An additional 2 to 4 inches of snow may fall from Portland to southern Oregon in the next 24 hours, accompanied by east winds up to 45 miles per hour. The potential for more outages in these areas remain.

“We are deploying crews and equipment based on these detailed forecasts to aid in any restoration efforts,” Berreth added. 

Pacific Power encourages customers to report outages by calling 1-877-508-5088 or text OUT to 722797. Text STAT to 722797 to check the status of your outage. 

To ease the inconvenience of power outages and assist crews in restoring power, Pacific Power suggests the following tips and safety precautions:

• Stay away from all downed power lines and utility lines. Even if the lines are not sparking, they could be energized and extremely dangerous. Call 911 and report the outage to Pacific Power at 1-877-508-5088. 
• Don’t drive over downed power lines.
• Maintain safe distances from workers. Repair work is being done under our COVID-19 safety protocols. Waves and acknowledgement are welcome, but please allow crews to do their work at an appropriate distance both for operational and COVID-19 safety.
• If there is damage to your service mast or weather head, where the powerline connects to your home or business, you will need to contact a licensed electrician for repairs before service can be restored. Our crews can only work on company-owned equipment.
• Check on your neighbors, especially those who may need special assistance. Also, check with others who have electricity, to see if you can visit.
• If you have power at this time, keep mobile devices charged so that may be used in an emergency. Before anything happens, download the Pacific Power app to your smart device so you can have information readily available.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Most food requiring refrigeration can be kept safely in a closed refrigerator for several hours. An unopened refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours. 
• Remember your pets! Pets who spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping warm depletes energy.
• If you are using alternate heat or cooking sources, remember to allow plenty of ventilation. Never burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors.
• If you are using a generator, make sure to follow all manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure the generator is outside and not near any household air intakes. Do not connect the generator directly to your breaker box as this can create a dangerous situation for crews working on the powerlines. Instead, plug essential appliances directly into the generator.