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Severe flooding in our service area continues to create challenges for power restoration. Flooded roads, landslides, and unstable ground conditions are limiting safe access to damaged equipment for our repair crews. Our natural gas infrastructure may also be affected.

We have temporarily removed Estimated Time of Restoration information from our outage map for affected areas until we can safely assess damage and begin repairs. When our crews gain access and can start assessing damage, they will provide information to be reflected on the outage map as to when to expect restored service. As weather allows, we are using drones and helicopters to patrol unreachable areas by air.

While weather conditions are currently calm, another round of rain and wind is expected on Monday, which may impact our crews' ability to continue restoration work safely as well as result in more outages. We are closely monitoring the situation and will adjust our response as needed. We will have crews ready to respond as any new outages occur.

We appreciate your patience during this time. The safety of our crews and customers is our top priority, and we are committed to restoring power as quickly and safely as possible. We will continue providing updates as our restoration efforts progress.

Visit PSE’s Alerts and Advisories page for information on our response efforts: pse.com/alerts.


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

Natural gas supply

Puget Sound Energy introduced Washington territory to gas lighting in 1873. Today we operate the state's largest natural-gas distribution system, serving nearly 800,000 gas customers in six counties.

We manage a strategically diversified gas-supply portfolio to reduce financial risks and hold down customers' rates. PSE also controls gas-supply costs by storing gas in large underground facilities, then withdrawing it in winter when customer usage is highest.

All the gas we acquire is transported into our service area through large interstate pipelines owned and operated by another company. Once we take possession of the gas, it is distributed to customers through more than 26,000 miles of PSE-owned gas mains and service lines.

PSE controls its gas-supply costs by acquiring gas, under contract, from a variety of gas producers and suppliers across the western United States and Canada. To obtain gas at the most favorable price, we carefully analyze gas-market trends and conditions, then strategically procure gas under a mix of short-, medium- and long-term contracts. The combined price we pay for natural gas under these contracts is passed along to you at cost, with no mark-up or profit for PSE. Another cost-saving measure involves flexible gas-transportation agreements with suppliers that enable us to selectively purchase gas from favorably priced locations.

 

How natural gas reaches your home

From the wellhead, natural gas can be moved thousands of miles through large-diameter transmission pipelines. Once a supplier's gas reaches our system, it passes through a variety of different components and infrastructure, including city gate stations where a strong odorant is added (for safety reasons) to give the gas its familiar rotten-egg smell. City gate stations also reduce the pressure of gas as it leaves the larger transmission pipeline and enters smaller utility-owned gas mains.

Natural gas schematic

(1) Deep underground deposits of natural gas

(2) are brought to the surface by wellhead pumps

(3) After the gas is processed and purified, it travels along interstate pipelines

(4) Compressor stations are located every 50 to 60 miles to maintain gas pressure

(5) Natural gas often is stored in large underground reservoirs to help meet spikes in demand

(6) Gas eventually reaches a city gate station, where it is metered and 

(7) delivered to customers through a distribution network of local gas mains, small-diameter service lines and, ultimately, customer meters

 

National Pipeline Mapping System (PHMSA/NPMS)

Natural gas flame