Washington state blackouts hit same customers repeatedly

The rolling blackouts that cut electricity for tens of thousands of Spokane, Washington, residents amid this week’s record-breaking heat wave mostly hit the same power customers repeatedly

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The rolling blackouts that cut electricity for tens of thousands of Spokane, Washington, residents amid this week's record-breaking heat wave mostly hit the same power customers repeatedly because of strains on equipment that couldn't handle the blistering temperatures, utility officials said. And there was plenty of power available for customers in Spokane despite increased demand. That's in contrast to the blackouts imposed in Texas last winter amid freezing temperatures, when there wasn't enough electricity to meet the demand, and during a hot spell in California last summer. In Spokane, Avita Utilities officials blamed lack of transmission capacity combined with heat strain on equipment for their decision to impose the blackouts as the city's 217,000 people endured sweltering heat that hit a record of 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.8 Celsius) on Tuesday. Some people in the city never had their power cut while those unlucky enough to live in neighborhoods with equipment affected by the heat were targeted with blackouts that hit some repeatedly, said Heather Rosentrater, Avista’s senior vice president for energy delivery.