SPOKANE, Wash. — While Avista is doing rolling blackouts in areas of Spokane and Idaho, other utility companies are making sure they don’t have to do the same.
At the height of the Avista power outages on Monday, more than 9,000 Avista customers in parts of Hillyard, the Nevada/Lidgerwood, Emerson Garfield and Logan neighborhoods, West Spokane, and Southwest Spokane were in the dark.
In an email to customers on Tuesday morning, Avista said many of the people who lost power on Monday will experience "targeted, protective outages" on Tuesday, June 29. They will be targeted during the hours of noon and 8 p.m. and will last for about one hour. Some customers may experience more than one outage with no less than one hour in between outages.
Kootenai Electric and Vera Water provide power to parts of the Inland Northwest. Here’s what they’re doing to make sure they can provide electricity amid the historic heat.
Kootenai Electric
The company said it is monitoring its electric system load and has put proactive measures in place to minimize power outages. The company is not planning for any rolling blackouts. If they become necessary, the company will communicate with members in advance.
A KEC spokesperson said the company uses historical data to forecast load increases on the system and develop construction work plans for future periods. They ask that customers consider conserving energy during the heat wave.
Vera Water and Power
On Twitter, Vera Water and Power asked customers to be ‘conservation-minded’ and use water and power wisely while the systems are stressed. They also offered tips on how to conserve energy.
Vera Water and Power Spokesperson Catherine Cronin said they don’t plan to do rolling blackouts but their system is stressed. She said they expect Tuesday’s demand to be the highest they’ve ever seen. Yesterday’s usage was significantly high as well, Cronin said. They recommend their customers be prepared for outages.
Other power companies
Northern Lights Power has not released any information about what they’re doing to help the strain on their electrical system.
KREM 2 has reached out to Inland Power for more information about their plans.
