UPDATE AT 12:56 P.M.: Power restored to Potlatch-Palouse area; Elk City outage ongoing

UPDATE AT 12:56 P.M.:

Power was restored in the Potlatch-Palouse area at about 9:30 a.m. Monday after an outage that started about 4½ hours earlier, according to an Avista Utilities spokesperson.

The outage was the result of "equipment failure," according to Avista's David Vowels. The outage affected about 2,100 customers starting at 4:50 a.m.

Avista crews responded to the area and made the necessary repairs. Power was restored at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

Meanwhile, Avista customers in the Elk City area are still experiencing a power outage that hit at about 6 p.m. Saturday.

There are 665 customers affected by that outage. Restoration is expected at 8:45 p.m. Monday.

"The reason was weather," Vowels said in an email. "A tree came into contact with Avista power line resulting in several power poles down. Given the remote location, access issues, and difficult terrain, it is taking multiple crews to make the necessary repairs to the equipment."

UPDATE AT 9:14 A.M.:

The power outages in the Potlatch-Palouse area is now expected to be resolved at 2:45 p.m. Monday, according to an update on Avista's outage map.

Clearwater Power customers in the same area also are being affected by the outage, according to that company's outage map. It estimates power will be restored at noon Monday.

The Potlatch School District and Garfield-Palouse Schools announced there will be no school today because of the outage.

Avista is also reporting an outage in Idaho County affected the communities of Elk City, Orogrande and Dixie. It started on Saturday evening, is affecting 659 customers and is expected to be resolved at 8:45 p.m. Monday.

ORIGINAL STORY

Power outages affecting more than 2,000 customers hit the Potlatch-Palouse area early Monday morning, according to Avista's online outage map.

The outages were reported in Potlatch, Palouse, Viola and other smaller communities north of Moscow and Pullman.

The outages were reported just before 5 a.m. Monday. Avista estimates power will be restored at 7:45 a.m. Monday.