The recent ice storm in the Willamette Valley caused widespread power outages, leaving thousands of customers without electricity. As of Sunday, January 14, Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) reported 61 outages, with over 3,000 customers affected. The number of outages has since increased to 76, leaving 5,059 customers without power.

EWEB has been working diligently to restore power to affected areas. In the last 24 hours, they were able to restore power to 1,859 customers, with 1,200 of those customers being in South Eugene. Crews are following a hierarchy of repair to prioritize restoring power. First, they are addressing any safety threats such as downed powerlines. Then, they focus on fixing transmission lines serving larger areas. Currently, most of the downed transmission lines are in EWEB's upriver territory east of Thurston. They are also working to restore power feeders and taps.

In addition to EWEB's efforts, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative has dispatched a five-man crew to assist in the restoration efforts. Lane Electric Cooperative in Eugene requested assistance after the ice and snowstorms caused significant damage to their infrastructure, leaving over 5,000 households without power.

Springfield Utility Board (SUB) has also been working to restore power. They have completed repair work but are still dealing with downed lines and damaged poles. SUB is urging customers to prepare for extended outages as another ice storm is forecasted for Tuesday.

As crews continue to work tirelessly, customers are advised to stay updated through the outage maps provided by their respective electric companies.