Disasters & Accidents

Nearly 200,000 Oregonians still without power after weekend storm

Oregon Public Broadcasting | By OPB Staff

Published February 16, 2021 at 4:44 PM PST

Oregon started Tuesday with nearly a quarter of a million homes and businesses lacking power, and electrical crews battled ongoing failures as downed trees took more customers offline as they repaired a strained grid. By 4:30 p.m., they’d gained ground, bringing the total of outages to roughly 195,000 across the state, with some customers having spent days in the dark and others surprised by fresh failures Tuesday.

Though the bulk of power outages were in the Willamette Valley, eastern parts of the state were also affected by the deluge of precipitation. Severe winter weather forced the closure of Interstate 84 westbound lanes along a nearly 90 mile stretch between Baker City and Pendleton Tuesday morning, but by 11 a.m. they had been reopened. Trucks were barred from using the interstate along an additional 70-mile stretch east of Baker City, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Portland General Electric reported on its outages page that 184,594 customers were still without power as of 4:20 p.m. Tuesday. The utility said it had 900 workers out in the field and had restored power for more than hundreds of thousands of people. Crews from other Oregon utilities, along with out-of-state companies, have sent in help. Meanwhile, Pacific Power reported about10,000 customers still in the dark as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“We’ve had more outages come on as we’ve repaired past outages. Our crews are really in an ongoing repair situation and it’s going to take some time to get everybody back on,” PGE spokesman Steve Corson said. “It’s still going to take a long time, so we could have people who are out for many days yet.”

Part of the challenge, Corson said, is that unlike other recent ice storms, this one had severe impact on the utility’s transmission system, the high-power lines that feed substations, that then power individual areas. More than 200 miles of transmission lines need repairs, Corson said, and PGE is prioritizing those fixes, even as it works on repairing downed lines elsewhere.

A safety note: It’s tempting to use any means available to heat your home when the power’s out, but that can be dangerous. The Seattle Times created a helpful, printable flyer in multiple languages on what NOT to do.

A number of Oregon school districts were closed to all activities and distance learning on Tuesday due to power outages. Among those are Portland public, Beaverton and Tigard-Tualatin school districts. Find the complete Portland-metro area list here.

Getting around is still a challenge in some areas. Portland’s TriMet reports that MAX trains will be running on all lines Tuesday, but some bus routes are still blocked by downed trees and power lines. TriMet said more buses would be added throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has announced an avalanche warning for the Mount Hood area until 6 p.m. Tuesday.

As people without power try to stay warm, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management is concerned that some are turning to dangerous sources.

“Loss of power and freezing temperatures have some Oregonians using alternate heating sources, many of which come with the added risk of carbon monoxide poisoning,” the agency cautioned in a press release Monday.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless but poisonous gas that can cause headaches, nausea and even loss of consciousness and death. It’s commonly emitted by furnaces, stoves, ovens and fireplaces that rely on gas, oil or wood and can be dangerously unhealthy when not properly vented.

The Oregon Department of Emergency Management says people should not use gas ovens or ranges for home heating nor should they use charcoal grills or camping stoves inside. Officials also recommend making sure exhaust vents are clear of snow so they’re working properly, and using vented space heaters when possible.

We asked people via Twitter how they were handling the lack of electricity. Here are some of their responses:

Stay warm: 211info.org maintains an updated list of warming shelters across Oregon, including hours of operation and eligibility.

Replacement benefits: People who receive SNAP food benefits and lost purchased food due to power outages can apply to have their benefits restored by the Oregon Department of Human Services. People must request replacement benefits within 10 days of food loss.

Know before you go: The Oregon Department of Transportation’s Tripcheck.com map features road camera, road closure information and traffic conditions on state-operated roads (think: highways) across the state. The Washington State Department of Transportation offers a similar map with travel alerts across the state.

Prepare before you travel: ODOT also provides a helpful list of tips to keep in mind before setting out for winter travel.

Check your list: The Washington State Department of Transportation has some helpful checklists for winter driving, including what to carry in your car.

Watch the plows: For Portland residents, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has a live map that shows where the city’s snowplows are in real-time.

A large tree limb is tangled in a power line, lying across SE Ash St. near SE 20th Ave., Feb. 16, 2021. The metro area continues to dig out following the weekendÕs snow and ice storms.

PGE contractors from DJ's Electrical in Portland repair a transformer box on a power pole on Southeast Madison Street near Southeast 17th Avenue in Portland, Feb. 16, 2021.

PGE crews wait near a downed line at SE 109th Ave. near SE Mitchell St., Feb. 16, 2021. The metro area continues to dig out following the weekendÕs snow and ice storms.

A downed branch in Southeast Portland Woodstock neighborhood, Feb. 16, 2021.

A biker navigates the slushy streets in Northeast Portland, Feb. 16, 2021. The metro area continues to dig out following the weekendÕs snow and ice storms.

Charlie, no last name given, works to remove limbs from a large oak in front of his home in Southwest Portland, Feb. 13, 2021. — A Southwest Portland resident works to remove limbs from a large oak in front of his home in Southwest Portland, Feb. 13, 2021. Tens of thousands of people remained without power in the Pacific Northwest after a winter storm blanketed the region with ice and snow and made travel treacherous.

Tree damage in Southeast Portland on Monday.

A man (no name given) shovels the walks on NE 21st Ave., near Wasco St. in Portland, Feb. 16, 2021. The metro area continues to dig out following the weekendÕs snow and ice storms.

Residents in Southeast Portland Woodstock neighborhood assess the damage as a broken line stretches across the street, Feb. 16, 2021.

Large tree fell in Eastmoreland in Portland on Monday.

A large tree blocks Bybee Road which connects Eastmoreland and Sellwood in Portland on Monday. Nearly every block in Woodstock and Eastmoreland has tree limbs and power lines down as thousands remained without power.

Nearly every block in Woodstock and Eastmoreland in Portland has tree limbs and power lines down as thousands remained without power on Monday.

Lower Macleay Park still featured a snowy trail along Balch Creek on Monday.

Ice melts from tree branches in Southeast Portland, Feb. 16, 2021.

Balch Creek is full and muddy on Monday after the snow and ice storm.

Kurt Nistler shovels his driveway in Southwest Portland, Feb. 13, 2021.

Snow covered homes near Rock Creek Trail in Hillsboro, Feb. 13, 2021.

Dan Forester takes his cross country skis to the roadway, in Southwest Portland, Feb. 13, 2021.

Katie Brown, ambushes her brother Sam with a shovel of snow in Beaverton, Feb 13, 2021.

Daisy, 13, doesn't look like she's thrilled by her sleigh ride, as she is towed by her owner Christy McCardle, in Southwest Portland, Feb. 13, 2021.

A hummingbird heads towards a feeder in Southwest Portland, Feb. 13, 2021. Hummingbirds can endure cold snaps as long as they have fresh, and unfrozen food available.

A duck snow sculpture is left atop a mailbox in Southwest Portland, Feb. 13, 2021.

Piknik Park food cart pod in Sellwood, Feb 13, 2021.

Freezing rain encapsulates a camellia bloom in SE Portland, Feb 13, 2021.

Trees snapped under the weight of ice and snow and gusting winds in West Linn, near Salamo Rd. at Cascade Summit, Feb 13, 2021.

A downed tree in the Alameda neighborhood at NE 23rd Ave. and NE Ridgewood Dr. in Northeast Portland, February 15, 2021.

A snowplow clears eastbound Rosa Parks Way towards Vancouver Blvd., Portland, Feb 13, 2021. Snow and ice from the recent storm has made for hazardous driving conditions in the Portland metro area.

An eyeless snowman in Beaverton, Feb 13, 2021.

A trio pushes a car spinning out near the Sunset Transit Center in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

Terry Waitrovich, left, and his wife Mary Faupel use hiking poles for balance as the walk along Barnes Rd. in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021. The pair hiked to their COVID-19 vaccination appointment instead of driving in the snow.

Door Dash driver Nalik Jackson of Portland struggles to put on snow chains in Beaverton, Feb. 12, 2021, so he can complete a food delivery. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning.

A pedestrian braces against the wind and snow as they walk along Barnes Rd. in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

A jogger runs through the snow across the Burnside Bridge in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021.

Kurt Spies pushes his son seven-month-old son Luke along a path in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021. Portlanders got the dusting of snow they were promised from a series of Pacific storms. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

Downtown Portland in a dusting of snow, Feb. 12, 2021.

Odin, 1, an American Akita, bounces in the fresh snowfall near Prineville, which has received several inches of snow in the past 24 hours.

A person walks to their car in the Mountain View neighborhood of Bend, Ore., Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, after a day's snowfall.

A person hikes up Pilot Butte in Bend, Ore., Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, after a day's snowfall.

The corner of N. Mississippi Ave and N. Failing St., looking north in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

Black bamboo stalks along Johnson Creek are coated in ice in Milwaukie, Feb 12, 2021. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

A view of the I-5 looking northbound in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

Looking through an iced over window in Milwaukie, Feb 12, 2021. The National Weather Service said the next storm will arrive Friday night and bring a high possibility of significant freezing rain in the Coast Range, Willapa Hills, the Central Willamette Valley and perhaps across the southern Portland metro.

Apples remaining on a tree are covered in ice and snow, in Milwaukie, Feb 12, 2021. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

Sledding at Overlook Park in Portland, Feb. 12, 2021. The National Weather Service announced one inch of snowfall at its Portland office as of early Friday morning. Accumulation totals vary across the region.

A person wearing a unicorn onesie walks west on Rosa Parks Way over I-5 in Portland, Feb 12, 2021. The National Weather Service said the next storm will arrive Friday night and bring a high possibility of significant freezing rain in the Coast Range, Willapa Hills, the Central Willamette Valley and perhaps across the southern Portland metro.

A porch table serves as an unofficial snow measurement in Southeast Portland, Feb 12, 2021. The National Weather Service said the next storm will arrive Friday night and bring a high possibility of significant freezing rain in the Coast Range, Willapa Hills, the Central Willamette Valley and perhaps across the southern Portland metro.

A large tree snapped, taking out some power lines at NE 50th Ave and NE Alameda St. in Portland, Feb 13, 2021.

A fashionable snowman, in Hillsboro, Feb. 13, 2021.

Children playing on a snow covered Northeast 18th Ave. in Portland, Feb. 13, 2021.

Sledders at Clinton City Park near Franklin High School, Feb. 13, 2021.

In this photo supplied by Portland General Electric, a lineman works on a pole in Beaverton, Feb. 13, 2021.

In this photo supplied by Portland General Electric, a line crew works to get the power back on in Beaverton, Feb. 13, 2021.

In this photo supplied by Portland General Electric, power lines lie on the ground in Beaverton, Feb. 13, 2021.