Fairbanks Residents Left in the Cold After Power Outage

Fairbanks Residents Left Shivering in the Cold After Prolonged Power OutageFairbanks Residents Left Shivering in the Cold After Prolonged Power Outage Fairbanks, Alaska residents were plunged into darkness and cold on Thursday evening after a major power outage affected thousands of homes and businesses. The outage, caused by a malfunction at a local substation, has left many in the community without electricity or heat for an extended period. Temperatures in Fairbanks reached a numbing -20 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday morning, exacerbating the crisis for those without power. The city’s emergency shelters have been overwhelmed with residents seeking refuge from the cold. “I’ve been trying to stay warm by piling on blankets and huddling with my family,” said Maria Rodriguez, a resident who has been without power since the outage began. “It’s been really scary, especially with young children to worry about.” According to Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA), the outage affected over 13,000 customers. Crews from GVEA and other utilities have been working tirelessly to restore power, but the restoration process is expected to take several more hours. The outage has also caused significant disruptions to businesses and services. Schools and daycares have been closed, and essential services like hospitals have been operating on backup generators. “This is a major disruption for our community,” said Fairbanks Mayor David Pruhs. “We are urging residents to take all necessary precautions to stay safe and warm.” The National Guard has been activated to assist with the recovery efforts and to distribute blankets and supplies to those in need. Residents are also being advised to conserve remaining fuel and to use alternative heating sources, such as wood stoves or fireplaces, if available. The prolonged power outage has highlighted the vulnerability of Fairbanks to extreme weather events. The city’s aging electrical infrastructure is particularly susceptible to failures during periods of cold stress. “We need to invest in a more resilient power grid that can withstand the challenges of our harsh Alaskan climate,” said Pruhs. “This outage is a wake-up call for our city.” As of Friday afternoon, power had been restored to approximately half of the affected customers. However, thousands of Fairbanks residents remain in the cold and are facing another frigid night without electricity or heat.