SPOKANE, WA – Avista says power restoration is substantially complete following Wednesday’s windstorm, with crews continuing work in hard-to-reach areas.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, about 86% of affected customers had power restored. Approximately 11,875 customers remained without service, primarily in northern Idaho, where restoration is expected to continue through Sunday.

More than 350 personnel remain assigned to the response, including line crews, contract crews and vegetation teams. Avista said saturated ground and strong winds caused trees and power lines to fall, resulting in widespread damage across the system.

Crews have been inspecting hundreds of miles of power lines using ground patrols, vehicles, helicopters and drones. Repairs remain time-intensive, with some locations requiring pole replacements that can take several hours.

Avista said restoration may occur in stages and encouraged customers to check service equipment for damage. The utility also reminded the public to stay clear of downed power lines and report hazards to emergency services.

Outage updates are available on Avista’s outage map, with restoration continuing until all customers are back online