Washington's Camano Island gains backup transmission line after single line failure once caused island-wide blackout
By Eve
Utility upgrades on Camano Island, Washington, mean a single failed transmission line no longer leaves the whole island without power. A backup line was added in 2023, crews are rebuilding a second line from Stanwood, and a new north-end substation has replaced decades-old equipment, according to the Stanwood Camano News as reported by The Cool Down. Snohomish PUD spokesperson Erica Keene said that if one line goes out, the other can feed the island, and the substation's added capacity could let crews reroute power to more customers when conditions allow.
Why it matters
Grid resilience upgrades like redundant feeds and new substations shape the reliability and capacity available to charging sites in storm-prone, single-feed areas. Procurement and CPO teams assessing rural or island locations should weigh network redundancy alongside connection cost and timing.
Source
- Original title
- “One failed power line once blacked out an entire Washington island — now it has a backup”
- Published
- 7 November 2026
In this story
- Topic
- Grid & Energy
- Place
- United States
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