Vehicle Contact Causes Power Outage Affecting Coachella Residents

A power outage disrupted electricity for nearly 200 Imperial Irrigation District (IID) customers in Coachella on Friday morning. The outage, which occurred due to “vehicle contact,” was initially reported by the utility at 7:45 a.m. Officials stated that the outage affected several areas in Coachella and surrounding regions.

According to the IID’s initial statement, the utility had managed to restore power to 169 customers by mid-morning, leaving 26 homes and businesses without electricity. Troubleshooting teams were immediately dispatched to the affected areas to assess and address the issue.

In a follow-up update, IID estimated that power would be fully restored within two to three hours, with multiple troubleshooters working to resolve the situation. The utility is continuing to monitor the restoration process to ensure all customers are reconnected as quickly as possible.

The Imperial Irrigation District, which provides electricity to over 150,000 customers across parts of Riverside and San Diego counties as well as all of Imperial County, is committed to delivering reliable service to its diverse service area.

The cause of the outage, listed as "vehicle contact," typically refers to incidents where vehicles collide with utility equipment or infrastructure, which can lead to disruptions in electrical service. IID officials have not provided further details on the specific circumstances of the vehicle contact but are continuing their investigation into the event.

As always, customers affected by power outages are encouraged to report issues directly to the Imperial Irrigation District through their customer service channels. For ongoing updates, residents can visit the IID website or follow the utility's social media channels.

In the wake of this morning’s outage, the utility reminds customers to be aware of the potential for future disruptions and to ensure they have backup plans in place, especially during stormy or accident-prone seasons.

Story from City News Service.