On Friday night, more than 22,000 Chugach Electric customers experienced a power outage due to a major load-shedding event. A significant outage happens when a primary power generation source along the Railbelt fails, resulting in extensive disruption. At 7:35 p.m., Chugach Electric confirmed the outage to Alaska’s News Source, stating the necessity to shed some customers to avert a more comprehensive power loss. This approach ensures stability in the power grid by aligning the electric load with the available generation.
After the event, Chugach Electric shared additional information about the situation in a Facebook post. The company indicated that the outage was probably caused by a transmission line problem located south of Hope. The line’s trip resulted in a power disruption, impacting thousands of customers. By 7:50 p.m., Chugach Electric had restored electricity to the vast majority of customers affected by the outage. The corporation announced plans to thoroughly examine the cause of the transmission line failure in the coming days.
Not only did Chugach Electric have a power outage on Friday night, but the Matanuska Electric Association also reported significant power outages. Palmer experienced nearly 500 outages, making it one of the hardest-hit localities among the 11,000 customers who lost power. Local utility suppliers already had a tough time before the massive power outage hit, and it only got worse after that. Investigations are presently ongoing to prevent repeat mishaps, and both power providers are working hard to understand the full scope of the disturbances.
This news story was originally published by Alaska‘s News Source.
