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Most of us won't soon forget what happened on Saturday, December 14 - all-time record winds were clocked in the valleys and over the ridge tops; trees were uprooted; fences blew over and power lines were toppled.
Saturday's howling wind storm was just the beginning of an ordeal for many of you, our customers, and for Sierra Pacific's employees.
Many of you were without power on Saturday, some for only a few hours, while others of you were out for a few days while we struggled against Mother Nature to return electric service to your homes and businesses.
Besides the safety of our customers and employees, our number one priority for the past week has been to restore power to all of our customers and repair the damage left in the path of recent winter storms.
During the storms, nearly 140 power poles were damaged or destroyed by the wind; 17 major transmission lines were knocked out of service in northern Nevada and northeastern California; countless miles of electrical wires and equipment in local neighborhoods were rendered useless by falling trees and limbs, or debris that the wind tossed around during the storms.
At the height of this restoration effort, hundreds of Sierra employees and contract crews were in the field working to bring the lights back on. Hundreds more worked behind the scenes to take calls, get materials ready and ensure a smooth operation. Many worked double and triple shifts around the clock, in some pretty bleak weather, to provide quick response to our customers.
Electric crews and personnel from the company's northern Nevada district offices, where damage from the storm was light, worked alongside Reno and Lake Tahoe crews. Sierra Pacific's sister utility in Las Vegas, Nevada Power Company, sent crews north to help in the effort. Contract crew from California and Oregon worked alongside company employees to get the power back on.
We know it's frustrating when you don't have the electric power you need and it's cold outside. Rest assured that our employees worked around the clock in some pretty rough conditions to restore your power.
Because our employees are just like you, they are dedicated to getting the job done and done safely. On behalf of Sierra Pacific and all of our employees, we thank you for your patience and understanding.
