A transformer explosion in North Lewiston triggered a widespread power outage Thursday evening, leaving more than 1,100 Avista customers without electricity across a broad stretch of the city.
The outage affected neighborhoods running from 21st and Main streets north toward 12th Avenue. Avista crews initially projected power would be restored by 11:30 p.m., but service came back roughly an hour ahead of schedule at around 10:30 p.m.
Officers Direct Traffic as Signals Go Dark
With traffic signals down throughout the affected area, Lewiston police moved in to manage intersections during the outage. For approximately 30 minutes, drivers had to navigate major crossings without functioning lights. Officers remained on scene until power was restored and traffic conditions returned to normal. Authorities noted that some officers may also have been responding to unrelated calls during that same period.
This is the latest public safety incident to draw attention in Lewiston in recent weeks. For more on previous outage details, see our earlier coverage of the Thursday evening power disruption affecting 1,100 customers. A separate shop fire that left a Lewiston building a total loss also drew significant emergency response resources earlier this month.
What Comes Next
Avista has not released additional details regarding the cause of the transformer failure or whether infrastructure repairs beyond emergency restoration are planned. Residents in the affected areas of North Lewiston are encouraged to monitor Avista’s outage reporting tools for updates on any follow-up maintenance work in the corridor.