12/29/2022 4:00 PM Last Wind Outage Update:
Power has been restored to most of our members at this time. Crews are still working on scattered outages in various parts of our system, and we expect many of those to be restored by late evening. *If any outages linger into tomorrow morning, those members will be restored by end of day tomorrow (12/30) or they will receive direct communication regarding their outage.
If you remain without power, experience a new outage, or discover damaged lines or poles, please contact us at 541-688-8711, 1-800-446-8418, or via the SmartHub reporting feature.
This storm has been an incredible challenge, with some form of wind damage in literally every district of our service territory. Included are some pictures that give a peak at a couple of the issues our crews encountered this week.
Thank you for your kind words and patience this week. BLEC is incredibly appreciative of our members’ support!
Very Large Fir Tree Laying in BLEC Wire, December 2022
BLEC Wire Down and Pole Pulled Far From Vertical, December 2022
12/29/2022 12:00 PM Outage Update:
Following crews working late into the night, power has been restored to approximately 164 members since the last update. As of midmorning, approximately 117 members remain affected by outages in various parts of our system.
The areas that still have known outages include addresses in Cheshire, Elmira, Walton, and Indian Creek. BLEC crews are currently working in the Walton and Indian Creek areas, continuing to restore groups of members as quickly as possible. There are also numerous one and two member outages in various other parts of our service area that we are addressing as quickly as possible.
BLEC members that haven’t previously reported their outage and members that remain without power by this afternoon are encouraged to contact us at 541-688-8711, 1-800-446-8418, or via the SmartHub outage reporting feature. Information from our members is critical in completely resolving this outage.
Thank you!
12/28/2022 6:00 PM Outage Update:
Portions of Hwy 36, Grimes Rd., as well as various other parts of our system have been restored this afternoon, for a total of approximately 60 more members back in service since our last update. Crews continue to work in the Deadwood Creek, Indian Creek, and Highpass areas today. As of this evening, approximately 281 members remain affected by scattered outages throughout our system.
BLEC crews have been working diligently and have made good headway on the work needed to restore power. Yesterday’s windstorm has required a significant amount of debris removal and cleanup, in addition to the wire repair and pole replacements mentioned earlier. Crews will continue to work through the evening to restore as many members as possible.
BLEC members that remain without power are encouraged to contact us at 541-688-8711, 1-800-446-8418, or via the SmartHub outage reporting feature. Thank you!
12/28/2022 12:00 PM Outage Update:
As of late morning, approximately 133 more members have had their power restored, leaving approximately 340 members still without power.
Baker Rd and Paradise Drive have been restored and crews are headed back to the Highpass Rd area, expecting those repairs to take the remainder of today.
As mentioned in an earlier post, members that remain without power are in areas affected by more serious damage, such as broken poles and spans of wire struck down, making restoration take longer. Areas such Swamp Creek Rd, Deadwood Creek Rd, Indian Creek Rd (and the portion of Hwy 36 in between), Stagecoach Rd, Penn Rd, are in that category. Crews are assessing and planning repairs as soon as possible, but don’t have a restoration estimate currently.
We can report that an outside crew will be arriving today to assist with repairs, we expect this to be very helpful with challenging situations such as pole replacements.
12/28/2022 6:00 AM Outage Update:
Following BLEC crews working late into and through the night, there are still approximately 473 members without power. These are scattered, smaller outages in various parts of our service territory that sustained more significant damage during yesterday’s winds. The areas that are still without power include the west end of our system in the Deadwood area, specifically Indian Creek Rd., as well as Baker Rd., the end of Paradise Rd., Jaeg Rd, and the Stagecoach Rd area. This is not a complete list and members that remain without power today are asked to report their outage, even if they have previously reported. Please call 541-688-8711 or 1-800-446-8418, to report downed power lines and outages. SmartHub users can also use the outage reporting feature in the SmartHub app and may find that more convenient.
Unfortunately, system damage from yesterday’s storm included four broken poles, which require a significant amount of time to safely replace. Those repairs as well as the remaining system issues will be the focus of our restoration efforts today. BLEC is also working to coordinate assistance from a neighboring utility if they have crews and equipment to spare.
Again, BLEC members that remain without power today are encouraged to contact us at 541-688-8711, 1-800-446-8418, or via the SmartHub outage reporting feature. Information from our members is a critical part to successful and complete outage resolution. Thank you!
12/27/2022 7:00 PM Outage Update:
As high winds continued through the day, the number of members without power peaked this afternoon with over 2000+ members affected at one point. Some members that had service restored experienced a second outage as the winds persisted into the afternoon. We can report that the number of affected members has dropped to approximately 1000 as of 6:45 PM 12/27/2022.
This afternoon crews have restored power in the Lowpass and Triangle Lake areas and are now working their way through Horton Road. In addition, crews also expect to have most of Elmira restored this evening, with the exception of Baker, Knight, and Paradise Roads. Those areas, in addition to areas in Deadwood, Indian Creek, and Walton require additional repairs. We do not have an estimated time of restoration for those areas currently.
During an outage BLEC crews work to restore power to the largest number of people first, beginning at the substation and working out to feeders from there. The co-op crews then fix problems in smaller neighborhoods and individual homes. Due to the severity and scope of today’s storm damage, crews will work through the night to restore power.
12/27/2022 1:00 PM Outage Update:
As of 12:30 PM 12/27/2022, power was restored at our Highpass Substation. However, some members in that area could still be without power if there is further system damage between the substation and their individual service address.
Other known outages include the areas of Elmira, Noti, Walton, Cheshire, Junction City, Greenleaf, and Deadwood. Some areas of our service territory are not accessible at this time, which has slowed restoration efforts. Crews continue to assess storm damage and are working as fast as they can to restore power to affected members.
Members are asked to call 541-688-8711 or 1-800-446-8418 to report downed power lines and outages. These numbers are available 24/7.
12/27/2022 9:00 AM
There are currently approximately 1700+ Blachly-Lane consumer-members without power. High winds and wet conditions have caused numerous trees to fall into cooperative power poles and lines, resulting in outages that are affecting members throughout our service territory.
The NW Weather Service issued a high wind warning for our area that includes south winds of 30 to 40 MPH, with gusts of 55 to 65 MPH. The warning is in effect until 4:00 PM 12/27/2022, with the heaviest winds between 11 AM and 3 PM, which may cause additional outages. More information regarding the warning may be found at the NW Weather Service website.
Crews are currently assessing damage and prioritizing reports of hazardous conditions. While Blachly-Lane crews are responding as quickly and as safely as conditions allow, there are currently no estimates yet available for restoration times.
Members are asked to call 541-688-8711 or 1-800-446-8418 to report downed power lines and outages. These numbers are available for reporting 24/7.
Please never approach or drive over a downed power line as they may be energized. More outage safety information may be found on our outage safety page, located here.