Power Outages in Camano/Stanwood area (Mount Vernon, Snohomish: power lines, houses, transfer)

[KSR]

I've been planning a move to the Camano/Stanwood area but am concerned about the power outages that I've been reading about of late. I know that there was an extended one after the Thanksgiving snowstorm and another one after the December windstorm. Just how typical/atypical is this? In an average year, how many times do you usually lose power for a day or more and how long do the outages typically last? Do some areas get priority in getting their power restored? Is it worse on Camano Island than in other parts of the state? Is it worse in the southern part of the island versus the northern part? If you have a back-up generator does that restore all power or is it limited and how long can you run a generator? Are areas such as Mount Vernon less likely to lose power and/or get serviced quicker when they do lose power? Thanks for any info.
KSR

[the dufferz]

I don't live on Camano, but I do work for an electric utility.

First, power outages are not common, but tend to be more so in certain areas that get a good combination of trees and wind. Wind storms are very hard to predict, so it's not like one area always gets hit, while another does not. This last storm missed a bunch of Snohomish county and north, but pounded the north King County area. Camano is exposed to the strait, so higher winds would be expected.

Generators should be used as a spot power source. Unless you invest in a transfer switch, the generator should not be hooked up to the breaker box, in doing so you would electrify the lines going out of your home and may kill the lineman who is trying to get your power back on. Having propane for water heating and a propane or wood fireplace would take care of the creature comforts, the generator can run lights/TV and alternate with the fridge to keep your food cool.

Expect most large outages to be a couple of days, but hopefully somebody who lives on the island can help with the specifics of Camano

The priority for restoring power (all things being equal) is commercial/industrial first. The priorty for restoring power for the wires is:

Transmission lines (the big towers with humming wires)
Sub stations (splits the big power down to feeder lines)
Feeder lines (circuits that run outward from the sub stations)
Lateral lines (the lines that run down each street)
Transformers (takes power from lateral to a set of houses, usually 1-6 houses)
Secondary wire (the wire from the transformer to your house.)

All that so say, if the sub station is put back on line, and there are no issues between that and your home, you will have power on a looooong time before the neighbor 6 houses down who had the transformer fuse blow. So, the length of time out of power will vary.

[compltlyme]

Thanks Duff.... that information was very helpful on the power!!!!

[the dufferz]

Originally Posted by compltlyme

Thanks Duff.... that information was very helpful on the power!!!!

Your welcome. Normally its a topic that would put people to sleep, but for some reason lots of people seemed to care a bunch last week! Can't tell you how many times I explained that to folks over that 9 day period.

Glad to have this one behind us!

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by KSR

I've been planning a move to the Camano/Stanwood area but am concerned about the power outages that I've been reading about of late. I know that there was an extended one after the Thanksgiving snowstorm and another one after the December windstorm. Just how typical/atypical is this? In an average year, how many times do you usually lose power for a day or more and how long do the outages typically last? Do some areas get priority in getting their power restored? Is it worse on Camano Island than in other parts of the state? Is it worse in the southern part of the island versus the northern part? If you have a back-up generator does that restore all power or is it limited and how long can you run a generator? Are areas such as Mount Vernon less likely to lose power and/or get serviced quicker when they do lose power? Thanks for any info.
KSR

Not sure if this helps or not, but all of my in-laws live in that general area and this is the first time I can remember their power being out so much. They have various flooding and snow issues occasionally, but not usually this amount of power outages.

[KSR]

I appreciate the info. I have many more questions but will hold them til I get closer to my move in/or about April/May. In the meantime, though, since you work for an electric utility, riddle me this: Why aren't the power lines underground. It seems to me that the short term expense would be more than recuperated in the long term and save much inconvenience to the millions of customers as well as saving lives.

Originally Posted by the dufferz

I don't live on Camano, but I do work for an electric utility.

First, power outages are not common, but tend to be more so in certain areas that get a good combination of trees and wind. Wind storms are very hard to predict, so it's not like one area always gets hit, while another does not. This last storm missed a bunch of Snohomish county and north, but pounded the north King County area. Camano is exposed to the strait, so higher winds would be expected.

Generators should be used as a spot power source. Unless you invest in a transfer switch, the generator should not be hooked up to the breaker box, in doing so you would electrify the lines going out of your home and may kill the lineman who is trying to get your power back on. Having propane for water heating and a propane or wood fireplace would take care of the creature comforts, the generator can run lights/TV and alternate with the fridge to keep your food cool.

Expect most large outages to be a couple of days, but hopefully somebody who lives on the island can help with the specifics of Camano

The priority for restoring power (all things being equal) is commercial/industrial first. The priorty for restoring power for the wires is:

Transmission lines (the big towers with humming wires)
Sub stations (splits the big power down to feeder lines)
Feeder lines (circuits that run outward from the sub stations)
Lateral lines (the lines that run down each street)
Transformers (takes power from lateral to a set of houses, usually 1-6 houses)
Secondary wire (the wire from the transformer to your house.)

All that so say, if the sub station is put back on line, and there are no issues between that and your home, you will have power on a looooong time before the neighbor 6 houses down who had the transformer fuse blow. So, the length of time out of power will vary.

[compltlyme]

Originally Posted by KSR

I appreciate the info. I have many more questions but will hold them til I get closer to my move in/or about April/May. In the meantime, though, since you work for an electric utility, riddle me this: Why aren't the power lines underground. It seems to me that the short term expense would be more than recuperated in the long term and save much inconvenience to the millions of customers as well as saving lives.

I bet even I can answer this one....tell me if I am right Duff... $$$$$$ or the lack thereof???

The area where I came from in CA.. the winds would get terrible... and it took forever to get those older lines underground. The newer areas they put them all underground. I can see the same here eventually.

[johnsonjamie]

Hi,
I am a lifelong resident of Camano Island, and this is the first year I can remember losing power for such a long time. It doesn't happen often. Moderator cut: realtor advertising