Puget Sound Energy power outage: thousands lose electricity as wind and crash trigger scattered blackouts across Western Washington

A blustery Saturday delivered a messy mix of outages across the Puget Sound Energy service area, with peak totals climbing into the mid-teens to near twenty thousand customers without power at times. Crews spent the day chasing down lines felled by gusty winds, saturated soils, and at least one crash that knocked out a major feeder in Skagit County. By evening, restoration had progressed in many neighborhoods, but additional pockets continued to blink off as branches and saturated trees came down onto secondary lines.

Where the Puget Sound Energy outages hit hardest

• Skagit County: A morning crash between Sedro-Woolley and Burlington tripped a high-capacity circuit, leaving well over ten thousand in the dark until switching and repairs narrowed the footprint.

• King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties: Scattered wind damage produced rolling clusters of 100–1,000 customers each, with brief restorations followed by new reports as additional limbs fell.

• Kitsap and the Peninsula fringe: Intermittent outages from line slaps and debris; most were cleared in phases through the afternoon.

Totals fluctuated through the day as crews restored one area while new trouble emerged elsewhere. Utility dashboards showed a regional peak in the 15,000–19,000 range on Saturday, then a step-down trend by evening as feeders were rerouted and damaged spans replaced.

Why this storm was outage-prone

• Soil saturation + gusts: After recent rains, shallow-rooted trees were more vulnerable. Even 30–45 mph gusts were enough to tip small and mid-size trees into primaries.

• Convective showers: Squally bursts arrived in waves, producing quick spikes in wind that coincided with several trip events.

• Traffic incident: The Skagit feeder crash removed a backbone line, multiplying downstream impacts until switching crews isolated the fault.

PSE’s restoration playbook today

1. Make-safe first: De-energize downed lines, cut power around hazards, and support fire/traffic agencies.

2. Backbone before branches: Re-energize transmission and substations, then feeders, then laterals and individual service drops.

3. Parallel switching: Where damage is localized, reroute around the fault to restore the greatest number of customers while repair crews rebuild the damaged span.

With multiple crews staged around the Sound, the utility prioritized circuits that restored the largest blocks first, then worked down to neighborhood and single-premise repairs. Estimated restoration times remained fluid as weather and field assessments evolved.

What customers can do right now

• Assume lines are energized. Stay at least 35 feet away from any downed wire; keep kids and pets clear; call 911 for immediate hazards.

• Report and track outages. Use the utility’s outage map or mobile app to file a report and check estimated restoration times; refresh periodically as crews update job status.

• Generator safety. Run portable generators outdoors and well away from doors, windows, and vents; never backfeed a home without a transfer switch.

• Food safety. Keep refrigerator/freezer closed; a full freezer can hold safe temperatures roughly 48 hours (24 if half-full).

• Traffic awareness. Treat dark intersections as four-way stops; expect temporary signal outages in affected corridors.

What to expect through Sunday

Forecasters flagged additional showers and breezy periods capable of producing isolated new outages, especially where trees were weakened by Saturday’s gusts. While the overall outage count trended downward by evening, restoration of smaller, scattered jobs can extend into late night or early Sunday, particularly where access is constrained or pole replacements are required.

Restoration outlook:

• Large feeder events: Many cleared Saturday with switching; follow-up work may continue overnight for permanent fixes.

• Neighborhood laterals: Rolling restorations as crews complete patrols and sectionalize damaged spans.

• Single-service drops: These are often last in the queue; have your service mast and meter base inspected if damaged, as repairs on customer-owned equipment must be completed before reconnection.

Quick checklist for the next 12–24 hours

• Charge phones and battery packs; conserve by switching to low-power mode.

• If you rely on medical devices, confirm backup power or relocate to a powered location.

• Park vehicles clear of drooping branches and leaning trees.

• Prepare coolers and ice packs if the outage may extend overnight.

• Photograph any property damage for insurance and keep receipts for emergency purchases.

Developing: This remains a live restoration effort, and figures can change quickly with each squall line or completed repair. Check the outage map/app for the latest estimated times and heed local advisories until crews declare areas fully safe and re-energized.