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Severe weather is forecasted for our service area this afternoon and evening. We are closely monitoring conditions and impacts to our system, and are prepared to respond to power outages with increased staffing this afternoon and evening, as soon as it is safe to do so.

As we prepare for storm conditions, we encourage our customers to do the same:

  • Make sure to have emergency supplies on hand at home and in your vehicle, such as extra batteries, flashlights and food
  • Have a battery-powered radio ready to go
  • Charge cell phones and mobile devices in case the power goes out
  • Avoid opening and closing refrigerators and freezers more often than necessary. A closed refrigerator will stay cold for up to 12 hours.
  • Turn off lights and unplug all appliances and sensitive electronic equipment, such as computers, to prevent an overload on your circuits when electric service is restored. Leave one light on to let you know when service returns.
  • Download the myPSE app to track and report outages, check status and get estimated restoration times, or visit pse.com/outagemap 

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

Sedro #4 transmission line and substation upgrade

Phase B - Belfast transmission line

Phase C - Samish Lake to Alger transmission line

2019 project updates

  • Phase C is expected to begin construction in 2019. Prior to construction, vegetation and trees were trimmed in fall 2018.
  • Phase B construction is complete. (2018)

Project overview

To increase electric reliability for customers in Skagit and Whatcom counties, PSE is rebuilding and reconductoring approximately 25 miles of existing transmission and distribution lines between Bellingham and Sedro Woolley.

Currently, the local electric system is prone to power outages due to limited capacity and aging infrastructure. The existing poles and conductors (wires) were built in the early 1960s and need to be replaced. Rebuilding these transmission and distribution lines with new, higher capacity wire and replacing the poles will strengthen the current system and reduce the frequency of outages for our customers in the area.

This overall project is broken into five phases

All phases of this project include replacing the existing structures with new wood poles and new, higher capacity 115 kV transmission wire and also replacing distribution wire as needed.

  1. Phase A: between Alger and Belfast (4 miles). (completed 2017)
  2. Phase B: Prairie Rd near Belfast to the Norlum substation in Sedro Woolley (7.5 miles). (completed in 2018)
  3. Phase C: Samish Lake Park to Alger (6 miles).
  4. Phase D: Bellingham substation to Samish Lake Park (6 miles).
  5. Phase E: Norlum substation to Sedro Woolley substation (1.5 miles).

Contact us

We welcome your questions and comments! Please contact:
Bob Parker, Project Manager
1-888-404-8773
MajorProjects@pse.com

Learn more