Avista promises no disruptions to customer electricity as utility prepares for heat wave

With temperatures expected to top 10 degrees for multiple days in the next week, Avista Utilities officials say customers should not expect any changes to their electricity, even after the utility announced last week the possibility of power-conserving planned outages during the summer.

“We are closely monitoring the forecast, and we are prepared for the hot weather coming into our region and its potential impacts on our system. We expect the demand to be similar to previous summer peaks,” Avista spokesperson Annie Gannon said in a statement Friday.

According to the latest forecasts, Spokane is expected to reach temperatures at or past 100 degrees for four days over the next week. During a similar heat wave in 2021, Avista customers experienced rolling blackouts for several days as the utility struggled in the heat.

In late June, Avista announced it had shifted into “fire safety mode,” meaning “public safety power shutoffs” could be coming for some customers this summer.

Gannon said such blackouts will “absolutely not” occur this heat wave.

“We have made upgrades to our system over the past several years to provide capacity to meet this demand,” she said.

This includes the replacement of the Sunset Substation below High Drive Bluff, a transmission line bringing power to the heart of Spokane. Construction of the replacement to the 50-year-old facility was completed in August.

Gannon touted “constant upgrades” from areas ranging from Post Falls to Lewiston to Spokane.

Spokane Valley utility Vera Electric also is not anticipating any disruptions.

“The system is pretty hardy,” said Vera spokesperson Catherine Cronin.