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November Wind Storm

Damage assessment and restoration efforts continue

Crews and hundreds of support staff continue their around-the-clock work to restore power to those who remain out as a result of yesterday’s damaging windstorm.

As of 6 p.m., we have 354,733 customers out of power. Power has been restored to more than 170,000 customers since the start of the storm. However, due to extensive wind and equipment damage, power for some customers may be out for an extended period. We are updating our outage map with the best information available and will continue to provide updates as restoration progresses. Our focus for tonight continues to be on transmission lines to critical infrastructure and public safety.

Crews continue to survey damage on the ground and helicopter patrols will resume tomorrow morning. Our first step in restoring power is damage assessment: getting a look at what’s been done to the system and determining the extent of repairs that are needed. We will provide restoration updates as information becomes available.

Crews from other utilities from Washington State, British Columbia, Idaho and Oregon have all shown up to assist in the repair of our electric system. Support from these outside agencies ensures that PSE restores power to our communities as soon as possible.

 

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alert 

Safety first. Never touch or go within 35 feet of downed power lines because they might be energized. Call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911 to report problems.

Report and track power outages online

Thermal power

We have a diversified supply of resources that make up our fuel mix which include, hydropower, coal, and natural gas. Our thermal power facilities include electricity from natural gas and coal which is outlined below.

 

Gas-fired power

PSE owns nine natural gas-fired power plants with a combined generating capacity of approximately 1,900 megawatts. The latest addition to the utility’s gas-fired fleet is the 270-megawatt Ferndale Generating Station. PSE acquired the Whatcom County facility in late 2012.

In addition to the Ferndale plant, we have gas-fired power-generating facilities in Pierce (Frederickson, with two facilities), Skagit (Fredonia), Cowlitz (Mint Farm) and Klickitat (Goldendale) counties, as well as three other plants (Whitehorn, Encogen and Sumas in Whatcom County.

Gas-fired power is safe, requires no disposal or storage of dangerous wastes and emits far less carbon dioxide than other power resources that use fossil fuels.

Coal-fired power

PSE’s coal portfolio dropped by 307 MW to 393 MW in January 2020 when plant operator and co-owner Talen Energy closed Units 1 & 2 at the Colstrip Power Project in eastern Montana.

Frederickson Thermal
Frederickson Thermal Plant