Power outage in Sublette County on August 16th
Lightning sparks three-hour power outage across the county
by Pinedale Online!
August 16, 2010
A strong thunderstorm with intense lightning caused the power to go out in most of Sublette County for about three hours Monday afternoon. Power went out around 2:15PM and was not restored until about 5:30PM.
According to Jeff Hymas, media public relations spokesperson for Rocky Mountain Power, the problem was in the main transmission line coming into Sublette County in the southern end of the county. The power was out almost everywhere in Sublette County except the Bondurant area, which is served by a different power company out of Jackson.
Many stores reduced services or closed when reports from the power company estimated the power outage would last at least until 5:30PM and maybe as long as until 7:30PM. Ridley's grocery store in Pinedale was able to operate with their generators, but had to take cash only. The Conoco station in Pinedale was up and running, thanks to their generator. The Sublette County Courthouse was operational under generator power. Lightning did damage to some radio equipment up on Mt. Airy southwest of Pinedale.
Local banks had various degrees of difficulties because of the outage. A serious problem which may have future consequences was their inability to process tax deposits which were due today for many businesses.
The lightning started at least one small fire on Bureau of Land Management Land west of Big Piney in the Wyoming Range. Winds from the storm system kicked up smoke and intensity on the Fayette Fire, a small lightning-caused fire burning since Saturday in the Wind River Range.
|
