City & Community

EWEB ice storm tally set to exceed $11 million

EWEB’s reconstruction costs from the January 2024 ice storm are set to exceed $11 million. The storm, which lasted from January 13 to 16, caused significant damage, resulting in $9.4 million in initial cleanup expenses, including equipment replacements and labor. An additional $2 to $3 million will be allocated for a major transmission line project, bringing total costs between $11.5 and $12.5 million.

EWEB utilized its reserve fund to cover the immediate costs but has applied for reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), expecting to recover 75% of the expenses by 2025. This storm’s damage was unprecedented, nearly double that of major storms in 2016 and 2019, impacting over one-third of its customers—about 38,000—some of whom were without power for over a week. At the storm’s peak, 24,000 customers were without power simultaneously.

During the crisis, 250 EWEB staff worked long hours, restoring power to 97% of affected customers within seven days. Fallen trees and toppled poles were widespread, leading to significant infrastructure damage: 352 poles, 92,700 feet of wire, and 84 transformers were destroyed. EWEB has since replaced all damaged components.

The Leesburg and Walterville hydropower projects were also impacted, resulting in a loss of power valued at approximately $4.3 million. Backup generators were used to restore power to the Hayden Bridge Water Filtration Plant amid icy conditions.

“The 2024 ice storm will go down in history as one of the most damaging events for our electrical system… it will also be remembered as a moment when our entire utility and community came together to recover,” said Tyler Nice, EWEB’s electric division manager.

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