Massive power outages hit Pacific Northwest following severe storms

More than 580,000 residents and businesses across the U.S. Pacific Northwest were left in the dark on Wednesday morning as utilities struggled to recover from a night of violent weather. According to tracking data from PowerOutage.us, the regional energy infrastructure suffered significant damage due to high winds and heavy precipitation.

Hardest-hit states

The storm’s impact was felt most acutely in Washington and Oregon, with the following breakdown of service interruptions:

Utility response and local effect

Major regional providers reported substantial disruptions to their grids:

• Puget Sound Energy (Washington): Reported roughly 141,800 customers without power out of a total base of 1.29 million. In a public statement issued Tuesday night, the utility warned residents to brace for a difficult combination of plummeting temperatures, heavy rain, and continued strong gusts.
• Portland General Electric (Oregon): Experienced significant damage, with approximately 112,300 of its 445,700 customers affected by the outages.

Utility crews are currently assessed the damage, though the forecast of colder temperatures and lingering wind may complicate restoration efforts in certain areas.