Back to Blog

LINEMAN OKAY AFTER ELECTRICAL ARC CAUSED POWER OUTAGE IN EASTSOUND

Today’s outage in the Eastsound area was caused when an arc occurred during a system maintenance project in the Eastsound Village area. Journeyman Lineman Roger Sandwith was working on energized equipment with a hot stick and received minor burns to three knuckles of his hand. Sandwith was checked out at the medical center and given the all clear.

Safety is OPALCO’s top priority. The fact that our line crew was following safety protocols is what brought them through this event in good shape. It is an industry standard for linemen to work “hot” – on energized lines – to minimize outage interruptions for the people they serve. Please remember to thank our linemen for the job they do day after day to keep the power on.

The outage event began at about 10:00 am and power restoration is expected by 3:00 pm today.

You may also like...

eplane

Quiet, Clean, Connected

Transportation in San Juan County shapes the future of the islands San Juan County faces a transportation paradox. Visitors come for the islands’ pristine beauty and tranquility, yet the ways … Read more
coop month

October is National Co-op Month!

Celebrate cooperative values with OPALCO As a member of Orcas Power & Light Cooperative, you’re not only receiving service from the co-op—you’re also an owner. Cooperatives are not-for-profit, member-owned and … Read more
island way

OPALCO Renewable Energy Community Meetings Recap

A few weeks ago, the OPALCO team held a series of community meetings about local, renewable energy. The meetings were held at all three major islands to engage co-op members … Read more