Power restored in Malad City after overnight blackout

UPDATE:

MALAD CITY, Idaho (KIFI) — Power is back on in Malad City today, Dec. 3rd, after thousands spent the night in the dark. Rocky Mountain Power says an equipment failure knocked out power yesterday afternoon, and it took until this morning to get everything back on track.

The outage hit as temperatures dropped below freezing and light snow moved through the area. Oneida County acted quickly by opening the fairgrounds event center for anyone who needed a warm place to sleep.

ORIGINAL:

MALAD CITY, Idaho (KIFI) —  3,100 people in Malad are currently without power, after an equipment failure early Tuesday afternoon. In a press release, Rocky Mountain Power said "crews are in the field working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible," but the repairs will take some time. The outage is expected to last until early tomorrow morning, Wednesday, December 3rd.

The outage comes as the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures in Malad will drop to 21 °F overnight while scattered snow showers continue.

In winter power outages, the Idaho Office of Emergency Management directs Idahoans to keep blankets, jackets/sweaters, hand warmers, gloves, and hats ready to stay warm. The Office of Emergency Management website also advises residents to use a safe, portable heater and generators to keep their homes warm, but it’s important to use them safely to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and other hazards

Rocky Mountain Power is encouraging customers in Malad to follow any directives from local public safety officials and check the Rocky Mountain Power outage map for updates and estimated restoration times. For more information, click HERE.