PUD Crews Working to Restore Power After Overnight Windstorm

63,700 customers in Snohomish County and Camano Island were without power at storm peak

Strong northwesterly winds did significant damage to Camano Island and the northwestern part of Snohomish County overnight. Snohomish County PUD is working to get power restored as quickly and safely as possible.

There are currently 34 crews in the field assessing damage and starting repairs throughout the county. Mutual Aid crews from Douglas County PUD and Grant County PUD have been requested and are on the way to aid in restoration efforts.

Multiple roadways will be closed to assist in restoration efforts. Please stay clear of these areas to allow crews to work safely and efficiently.

• Marine Drive south of Stanwood
• 84th Ave. at 119th near Getchell

Most of Camano Island is without power, with at least one transmission pole down. PUD staff will be in front of Camano Commons Marketplace tomorrow, December 18 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. with coffee, handwarmers, information, and a place to charge devices.

At its peak, approximately 63,700 customers were without power. As of 7 a.m. today, approximately 51,200 customers remain without power. Restoration efforts will likely take multiple days.

Follow these tips to stay safe and improve comfort when the power is out:

• Stay away from power lines – Stay at least 30 feet away from fallen power lines or lines that are sagging or broken. Do not cut fallen trees that are entangled with downed lines. Assume all power lines are live and can be deadly if touched.

• Turn switches off – Try to remember what was turned on at the time the power went out and turn switches to those items off.

• Protect food – Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Contents should be good for at least 24 hours if the door is kept closed. After that, use dry ice to protect cold foods.

• Use generators safely – Never plug a portable generator into your household wiring unless your home is equipped with a transfer switch that was installed by a licensed electrician. Your generator could be damaged or much worse; it could back feed electricity through the meter and into the neighborhood and cause a severe safety hazard to neighbors and line workers. If you need to power an appliance, plug it directly into the generator.

The PUD’s water systems are online and being powered by generators. All PUD water customers have water service. Crews have been dispatched to assess sites and clean up and remove debris.

Additional rain caused the PUD’s Spada Lake Reservoir to reach the Culmback Dam morning glory spillway and begin spilling in the early morning hours of December 17. The dam and reservoir are safe, and the spillway is performing as designed.