The representatives met with residents to answer questions and provide time lines for when their power would be restored.
The Rochester area was hit hard by last week’s storm and subsequent wind, largely because it’s a rural area that is served by long stretches of power lines susceptible to damage, PSE spokesman Andy Wappler said. Many customers have been without power for days.
“The volume of customers was lower, but the amount of damage and number of fixes was higher,” he said.
PSE representatives have spent the past few days in the Rochester area, appearing at a Rochester PSE substation Wednesday afternoon to talk with residents.
About 5,000 Thurston County PSE customers were without power shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday, spokesman Roger Thompson said, down from 55,000 during the storm’s peak last week.
Troy Marrs, 40, who lives close to the Thurston/Lewis County border on 216th Avenue, said he lost power at his house last Thursday morning. By Thursday night, it was too cold inside his house, so he and his two children left to stay with friends who also were without power but had a woodstove.
Marrs was not bitter and did not blame PSE, he said.
“They’re doing what they can do,” Marrs said, adding that he used to live in Missouri, not far from tornado-damaged Joplin, so he stocked up on the necessities when he learned about the impending storm.
“We know what it means to be prepared,” he said.
Marrs’ power was likely was going to be restored Wednesday because line crews were focused on putting in new power lines across Interstate 5 at 216th Avenue, said Bryan Moody of Rochester, a line-construction superintendent for Wilson Construction Co. of Canby, Ore.
Freeway traffic was slowed in both directions for about 30 minutes Wednesday so crews could complete the work.
Bob Moran, 55, of Rochester, was told that his power, too, would be restored Wednesday. Moran, without power since last Tuesday, said he has a generator but has nearly burned through 500 gallons of propane and 11 bags of pellets for his pellet stove. Although that has heated his home, it hasn’t heated his water, so Moran was forced to take a cold shower. He said he doesn’t plan to do that again.
PSE is offering a $50 credit to customers who lacked power for 120 consecutive hours. Right now the utility requires customers to call to request the credit, but the company plans to meet with the state Utilities and Transportation Commission Thursday to ask that the credit be applied automatically, Thompson said. That decision is subject to commission approval, he said.
Thurston County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mark Thompson said he didn’t think the $50 credit is enough to cover his propane costs. Thompson, who lives in southwest Olympia, lost power last Thursday morning through Wednesday afternoon.
“I’m definitely frustrated,” he said.
Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403
rboone@theolympian.com
www.theolympian.com/bizblog
Staff writer Jeremy Pawloski contributed to this report.
