The following was submitted by Orcas Power and Light Cooperative.

All of San Juan County will be affected by a series of two planned outages necessary for BPA to replace a section of one of the two main power lines that feeds the San Juan Islands from Fidalgo Island.

These maintenance outages will happen on overnight weekdays to minimize impact to OPALCO consumers.

The first outage will begin at 12:30 a.m. in the wee hours of Tuesday, Sept. 25 and is scheduled to last two hours. Power is expected to be restored by 2:30 a.m. This outage will allow the BPA crew to deconstruct a section of high-voltage line in need of replacement.

The second outage will begin at 12:30 a.m. in the wee hours of Tuesday, Oct. 23 and is scheduled to last up to four hours. This outage will enable the BPA crew to rebuild the section of high-voltage line and the project will give OPALCO linemen the ability to open and close this mainland circuit to reroute power during some mainland outages. This work will give OPALCO more control of our mainland power supply and reduce the duration of future power outages.

OPALCO consumers should set a reminder for Monday nights 9/24 and 10/22. Turn sensitive equipment off at the power strip or unplug. In the morning, turn equipment on gradually to aid in power load pick up. OPALCO members are responsible for their own equipment. Members are encouraged to install surge protection to safeguard electronic, computer and other sensitive equipment and appliances.

Now is a great time to make sure you’re prepared for winter outages. OPALCO’s system is strong and its line crews skillful and ready – however, outages happen and consumers must be prepared. Make sure you have your outage plan including how you plan to get information about outages, a kit of the things you need to keep you comfortable during power outages, and battery or generator backup for any critical systems.

Check our website for outage checklists and other key information for making sure you are ready this winter at www.opalco.com.