Ice Ice Oregon
Clatskanie PUD crews responded through a Mutual Aid Agreement to Central Lincoln PUD territory to help repair storm damage and get power back on for coastal Oregonians.
It was a frosty weekend for many Oregonians as low temperatures and snow, sleet, and freezing rain pummeled communities from the coast to east of the Cascades. Icy conditions caused thousands of power outages across the state – and in some communities, utility crews continue work to get the lights back on.
As utility crews respond to outages, some areas will have power restored faster than others. Utilities will often prioritize repairs that will get the highest number of people back online quickly, while some repairs are delayed because of downed trees or other obstacles that prevent line repair. In certain areas, some utilities have warned that outages could last a few more days.
In addition to electricity outages, other energy sources can experience delays or other issues following weather emergencies. Here at the Oregon Department of Energy, we are the responding agency for liquid fuel emergencies, such as petroleum products like gasoline and diesel as well as propane for heating. During this 2024 storm, ODOE Emergency Manager Deanna Henry has participated in state emergency coordination meetings and worked to respond to fuels needs, including:
Monitoring roads to assess safety for fuel truck travel.
Partnering with the Oregon Fuels Association, Pacific Propane Gas Association, and Suburban Propane to deliver 1,000 gallons of propane to power backup generators at the St. Vincent DePaul Egan Warming Center in Eugene.
Working with the Oregon Fuels Association and Carson Oil to deliver 500 gallons of fuel to Lane County to support fire operations at the Mohawk Valley Rural Fire District. The diesel will also go toward powering a backup generator at the Mohawk High School serving as a warming center.
Working with the Pacific Propane Gas Association and AmeriGas to deliver 1,500 gallons of propane to Everyone’s Market in Vida, the only store providing essential services to the eastern Lane County community.
Coordinating delivery of 250 gallons of propane from Ferrellgas to a residence to support a family that could not be moved to a warming center due to extenuating health concerns.
Working with Carson Oil and the Oregon Department of Corrections to secure diesel for the Santiam Correctional Institution to warm the facility.
Working with Douglas County to monitor the fuel supply status at high-volume fuel stations along the freeway.
Many thanks to Oregon fuel providers for their ongoing support to ensure fuel is available to assist in the state’s emergency response activities!
While we hope we’ll now have an easy slide into spring, Oregonians should always be prepared for an energy emergency, whether it’s an outage caused by ice, wind, wildfire, earthquake, or other issues. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management has great info on its website about being two weeks ready for individuals, families, and businesses – check it out: https://www.oregon.gov/oem/hazardsprep/pages/2-weeks-ready.aspx
Several ODOE staff or their families experienced power outages over the last week. We asked a few to weigh in with lessons learned and suggestions to be prepared for future emergencies.
Chief Information Officer Colin Lancaster said his family was sure to stock up at the grocery store well in advance of the storm, make sure cellphones and power banks (including a solar bank!) were charged, and downloaded some movies for the kids to watch offline.
Hanford Ecologist Sara Lovtang only lost power for a couple of hours, but one unexpected issue came from her plug-in hybrid car. It was sitting in the driveway plugged in to power in case there was an emergency and she needed to travel. But the ice storm froze the plug to the car in an impressive block of ice! She waited until the weather warmed up a bit, then carefully thawed out the ice block using a hair dryer. She’ll work on a plan to keep the plug from freezing next time around.
Energy Analyst and Regional Solutions Rep Roger Kainu lives in a newer home that was built with the highest energy efficiency standards, but he still ran into some trouble with the frigid temperatures. It turned out his high-efficiency furnace’s condensate drain tube extended to the exterior of his home – which meant the tube froze outside and the furnace couldn’t live up to its full potential! Roger reports that it wouldn’t have been a problem if he’d insulated where the tube exits the home. Instead, he had a $300 repair bill and a lesson learned to fix before the next cold snap.
Energy Policy Team Lead Edith Bayer quickly realized her family was not quite two-weeks ready – they had camping stoves but no fuel, and were low on some food and hadn’t restocked yet. She learned that two weeks ready is super important, especially with kids, and her family is already planning on building up supplies on the next shopping run. She also said that building connections with her neighbors was really valuable. Neighbors gathered to help clear downed trees from the street, offered food and fuel to each other, as well as a fireplace to gather around if needed. Edith says, “there’s power in community!”
Policy Analyst Michelle Miller-Harrington made sure she had candles, flashlights, and lanterns ready – along with plenty of blankets! A propane-fueled stove helps her cook food in the event of an outage.
Public Affairs Specialist Erica Euen said that while she didn’t lose power, she still prepared by charging devices and rechargeable battery packs, got the headlamps out, and had solar lights ready. She also put water bottles in the freezer to help keep the freezer cold and avoid food from spoiling.