Sierra Pacific Power Crews Rebuilding Power Lines at South Lake Tahoe

Media Contacts:
Faye Andersen (775) 834-4822
Karl Walquist (775) 834-3891

* Linemen and other power company personnel from South Lake Tahoe, North Tahoe, Carson City and Reno are currently repairing the power poles, transformers and other equipment destroyed by the Angora Fire. The crews will remain in place until repairs are completed.

* A total of 77 power poles, 22 electric transformers and thousands of feet of wire were damaged by the fire and need to be replaced.  Crews currently have limited access to some of the burned areas because of safety concerns. 

* Sierra Pacific Power has augmented its normal South Tahoe line crew and repair personnel by five-fold in order to make quick progress in restoring power to the area.

* Approximately two dozen pieces of equipment have been sent from other Sierra Pacific locations to aid in the work. These include bucket trucks, backhoes and dump trucks.

* Because of the widespread damage caused by the fire, tree trimming crews are expected to be in the burn area for weeks to remove thousands of dead and dying trees that are hazardous to the operation of the electric distribution system.

* Approximately 350 customers along North Upper Truckee River Road and customers living in the Tahoe Paradise and Tahoe Mountain areas remain without power due to the fire.