LANE COUNTY, Ore. — As the one-year anniversary of last January’s historic ice storm approaches, people living in Western Oregon say they will not forget its impact and the importance of being prepared for emergencies. The storm left tens of thousands across Western Oregon without power, with some residents enduring outages for nearly two weeks. EWEB and local communities have since taken measures to improve readiness and resilience.
In response to the storm’s widespread damage, EWEB has implemented several initiatives to fortify its infrastructure. This includes using satellite imagery to identify areas where vegetation poses risks to powerlines and replacing aging equipment, some of which dates back to the 1950s.
“That equipment is just old now, and it’s at the end of it’s life, so we need to replace it. Older equipment is more vulnerable to disasters like an ice storm, so by replacing it, repairing it, improving it, we’re able to make our system more resilient,” said EWEB spokesperson Aaron Orlowski.
EWEB’s recovery efforts have already cost $8 million, with ongoing expenses expected through 2025. The utility has sought federal reimbursement from FEMA, but they say they may not receive the full amount that they requested…