A single failed transmission line could once leave Washington’s Camano Island without power. Now, utility upgrades have given the island a backup connection, which could mean fewer widespread outages when storms strike.
Here’s what to know
Camano already has one backup line, added in 2023 to give electricity a second route onto the island, and crews are rebuilding a second line from Stanwood. A new substation on the island’s north end has replaced equipment that was decades old, according to the Stanwood Camano News.
“In the past, if the one transmission line to the island experienced an outage, the entire island lost power. Now, if one line goes out, the other transmission line can feed the island, keeping customers in power,” Snohomish PUD spokesperson Erica Keene said in an email.
Keene explained that the substation’s added capacity could let crews reroute power to reach more customers when conditions allow…