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November Wind Storm

Over the last 24 hours, more than 150 line crews and 70 tree crews worked throughout the day and night to help over 17,000 customers regain power from storm related outages.

We now have 99% of our customers back online since the bomb cyclone hit Western Washington Tuesday afternoon and will continue to work as fast as we can to restore every customer. Being without power is incredibly disruptive and gets harder as time goes by.

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alert 

Safety first. Never touch or go within 35 feet of downed power lines because they might be energized. Call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911 to report problems.

Report and track power outages online

How hydro power works

Hydropower is a powerful technology for Washington state’s clean energy transition . To make electricity, water rushes through a pipe where it rotates a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator, which converts hydro energy to electricity.

Most hydropower systems use the earth’s natural water sources to operate, and it is an important source of power, but it still has challenges. Hydropower can have a negative impact on wildlife and cultural practices. Yet, some hydropower plants have had amazing success using innovative technologies to bring salmon rates back up, such as the Baker River.

Where hydropower is made

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) owns and operates two hydropower projects in Washington: Baker River and Snoqualmie Falls. These projects use dams to keep water in a reservoir where it can be released through the dam in a controlled manner to produce electricity. PSE also purchases hydroelectric power from other sources as needed.

How to access hydropower

You are likely receiving some of your power from hydroelectric sources today. As more power is generated from hydro, more of your energy will come from this source, helping to reduce carbon-based energy.

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