Planned overnight power outage scheduled for mid-month

||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT CO-OPERATIVE |||

All of San Juan County will be affected by a planned power outage necessary for Bonneville Power Association (BPA) to make scheduled repairs to the transmission lines that deliver power to the islands. This maintenance outage will happen during the night minimize impact to OPALCO consumers.

The outage will begin at approximately 11:30 pm on Thursday, September 15 and power is expected to be restored by 5 am on September 16. During this time, BPA crews will upgrade transmission equipment and perform maintenance on the system. While the power is off, the OPALCO crew will utilize the opportunity to do maintenance work on our local system.

OPALCO consumers should set a reminder for Thursday night 9/15. Turn sensitive equipment off at the power strip or unplug. In the morning, turn equipment on gradually to aid in power load pick up. OPALCO members are responsible for their own equipment and encouraged to install surge protection to safeguard electronic, computer and other sensitive equipment and appliances.

Now is a great time to make sure you’re prepared for winter outages. OPALCO’s system is strong and its line crews skillful and ready – however, outages happen and islanders must be prepared. Take time to get ready for storm season outages now, including your plan to access outage information (SmartHub, phone message, website, social media – outage buddy off island with internet service), assemble a kit of the things you need to keep you comfortable during power outages, and do maintenance on your battery or generator backup for any critical systems. Check our website for outage checklists and other key information for making sure you are ready this winter at www.opalco.com/outage-preparation and safety.

Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) is our member-owned cooperative electric utility, serving more than 11,400 members on 20 islands in San Juan County. OPALCO provides electricity that is 97% greenhouse-gas free and is generated predominantly by hydroelectric plants. OPALCO was founded in 1937.