UPDATE: TPU Dealing with About 100 University Place Customers without Power

UPDATE, 12:38 p.m., 1/20/12

Here is the latest word about University Place residents without power that Editor Marques Hunter obtained from TPU:

"One-hundred (customers) in University Place around Cirque Drive, Sunset Drive and Elwood Drive," he says.

Check back for more later.

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UPDATE, 11:12 a.m., 1/20/12

Here's another update from TPU's Facebook page:

So you know what we're dealing with, power outages come in several forms. There are the larger outages, like when a substation, major transmission line or feeder goes out. If we can restore those kinds of outages, it often gets a large amount of people back on line quickly. Then we have the outages in more isolated cases - say transformers blown, lines down in neighborhoods, etc. Those take longer to restore because the crews are working on the larger issues and/or in some cases it is difficult to impossible to get to the area in this weather. Then there are individual outages, where the service line to the house is down. Please be patient. We have a triage list of priority when we restore power and our crews are working as fast as they can. It is still dangerous out there and lines are still coming down.

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UPDATE, 10:26 p.m., 1/19/12

Here's another post from TPU's Facebook page:

Folks in the Bridgeport/75th St. W area - the substation just went out due to over current. That means customers didn't turn their appliances, lights and such off when the power went out. The instant demand when the power was restored was too much for the system and it went down. PLEASE turn off what you can to avoid that situation again.

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UPDATE, 8:29 p.m., 1/19/12

It appears Tacoma Public Utilities is catching up with some of the people in University Place who've lost power.

But that doesn't mean more homes aren't being short-circuited.

"My power is back on 78th st & Bridgeport! GRACIAS!," wrote user Andrew Keesling on the utility's Facebook page.

However, TPU posted the following within the last hour.

Ice is wicked. About 15,000 customers without power.

• 6,100 customers around 75th Street W and Bridgeport Way in Tacoma
• 1,700 customers west of Western State Hospital
• 2,200 customers in Graham
• 2,200 customers south of Elk Plain and West of Roy
• 2,600 customers near Summit and Puyallup (Around 128th Street and Canyon Road)

Because of the challenges with repairing the problems, Tacoma Power does not have estimated restoration times. Crews will continue to work throughout the night to restore service as soon as possible.

Check back for more updates.

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Tacoma Public Utilities is reporting that more than 2,200 custumers in University Place have lost power.

According to the local utility's Facebook page, there are more than 7,000 customers without power, including University Place, the west side of Tacoma along Bridgeport Avenue, Brown's Point and Graham.

In University Place, there are "2,249 customers in Tacoma/University Place from 70th Avenue West to Day Island and 31st Street West to 21st Street West."

At 3 p.m., the utility then issued this:

"It's ugly out there and getting uglier. Right now we have about 7,500 customers without power in these areas:

- Around Franklin Pierce High School

- Around Curtis High School

- In University Place near UP Primary, and Bridgeport Way & Cirque Drive"

"Trees and branches coated with ice are falling on our lines, so we may see more outages today. Hang in there," TPU says. "We have 20 crews out there working to fix the problems as soon as possible."

User Margaret Larkey posted this on the utility's Facebook page: "TPU, thanks for providing this forum. We are in Beckonridge, UP (Grandview/Cirque area) power out about 45 mins ago."

User Sharon Ness wrote, "Hoping for UP power soon should we get hotel room. I know you are working hard and I appreciate it, but arthritis and bones hurt a lot in the cold."

TPU asks customers to turn off their appliances once the power is out, as the surge of these devices could spark another outage the minute the power comes back on.

"The two biggest drains on the system are water heaters and furnaces," it wrote. "If you don't have power, please turn those off and wait a few minutes to turn them back on. Thank you!"