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March Windstorm Event

We understand how difficult it is to be without power, and we appreciate your patience. Crews continued to make steady progress overnight. Small pockets of customers remain without power in King County, Greenwater, and Skykomish. The plan for today is to continue to assess damage in difficult access areas and restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

Below are updates and current estimated restoration times for hard-hit areas:

  • In Skykomish, crews continue to work on the electric system that feeds the town from the west. An additional helicopter patrol is scheduled for later in the morning. We expect to have power restored to our Skykomish customers by today, March 15 at 8 p.m.
  • In King County, crews continue to repair damage to the system throughout the morning. We still expect most customers will have their power restored by today, March 15 at 8 p.m.
  • In Greenwater, Highway 410 remains closed and the combination of deep snow and many fallen trees is preventing crews and equipment from accessing damaged electric equipment. Based on current conditions, restoration efforts could go into Monday. Estimated times of restoration will be updated in the PSE outage map as we are able to reassess for any improvement to travel and access during today's early daylight.

Estimated restoration times by region are available at pse.com/alerts. As crews are assigned to a repair job, the specific time for that outage will be added to the outage map.

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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

Electric vehicle charging
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ASK AN ENERGY ADVISOR

To learn more or get more personalized advice, email a PSE Energy Advisor. They're available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Electric car cold weather charging and driving tips

Electric cars are made for efficient driving during any season. A few simple best practices will help you get the most efficient use from your electric car’s battery.

Vehicle maintenance
  • Check your tire pressure: Tires play a particularly important role in the efficiency and energy budget of an electric car. Be sure to regularly check your tire pressure and keep your tires properly inflated during the cold months. Your tire pressure decreases more easily in cold weather because the air is denser.

  • Clean your air filters: Check your cabin air filters and replace them if dirty. A clean air filter allows for improved air flow and can reduce how much your car windows fog up, thus reducing the need for you to run your defroster, helping conserve battery power.

Drive efficiently
  • Coast and mind the speed limit: Drive at a safe speed and keep a safe following distance to reduce the need for hard or excessive braking. The less frequently you need to use traditional friction braking, which does not regenerate energy, the better. Additionally, like conventional gas cars, electric cars require far more energy to displace air at higher speeds. Driving at lower speeds is a more efficient use of energy.

  • Cabin pre-heating: Preheat your car while it’s still plugged into a charger. Use an app to begin preheating your car before you hop in, or simply wait to unplug your car until it is heated sufficiently. This reduces the need to run your heating system and tap into your battery supply as much.

    Bonus: your car’s seat heaters use less energy than the cabin heating system.

  • Time your charge just right: Maximize your opportunities to charge your car fully while on the go. Timing your charge to end just before you leave will help warm up the car and make the battery more efficient. Don’t let your electric car charge to full capacity and then have your car simply sit there, as this would accelerate battery capacity loss.

  • Keep your car out of the cold: When possible, park your electric car in a garage. Can’t park in a garage? Try to park out in the sun while out and about – it’ll help warm up your interior and your car’s battery.

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