Mason County PUD No. 1 has scheduled an overnight power outage for all customers in Union beginning at 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30th until 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 1st. The PUD’s new Manzanita Substation is ready to be put into service, replacing the 1950s Union Substation on Dalby Road by the Chevron.
To complete the power transfer to the new substation, the transmission and distribution lines must be fully deenergized. The cutover process involves several critical steps, beginning at the point where the PUD taps into the Bonneville Power Administration’s transmission lines in Potlatch to supply power to Union. From there, the lines continue across the tide flats of the Skokomish Reservation and follow Highway 106, up the hill to Manzanita Drive, the site of the PUD’s new Manzanita Substation. To expedite the transition and commissioning, the PUD will have contracted crews on site to assist the PUD crews.
It is possible that sections of customers will come back online sooner than 6:00 a.m. as the crews bring the substation feeders online one at a time. However, customers should plan to be out of power until 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 1st and have flashlights and supplies ready.
If residents’ water systems do not have backup generators or they are on a private well, they should also have bottled water on hand. For customers served by PUD-owned water systems: Alderbrook, Union, Vuecrest & Union Ridge water systems have backup power to the wells, and those customers should have water service during the power outage. Highland Park will lose water pressure when they lose power and should have water on hand. Hood Canal water system customers will need to conserve water, as they will have water until the reservoir is empty (except the six customers at the top of the hill who will be out of service during the outage). Madrona Beach water system also needs to conserve and will have water until the reservoir is empty.
Letters will be sent to each affected customer in Union, and the PUD will send out automated reminder phone calls the week before the outage. The PUD water crew will be onsite early on October 1st to ensure all water systems are brought back online and functioning correctly after power is restored. The PUD is excited to finally bring this project online to serve the current and future electricity needs of the Union area and thanks everyone in advance for their patience and support of these important infrastructure projects.