A transformer explosion in North Lewiston triggered a widespread power outage Thursday evening, cutting electricity to more than 1,100 Avista customers across a significant stretch of the city.
The affected area extended from 21st and Main streets northward toward 12th Avenue. Avista crews initially projected restoration by 11:30 p.m., but power came back roughly an hour ahead of schedule, returning to customers around 10:30 p.m.
Police Step In as Traffic Signals Go Dark
During the outage, Lewiston police officers moved to manually direct traffic at several busy intersections where signals had gone dark. For approximately 30 minutes, drivers had to treat affected intersections as four-way stops while officers managed the flow. Authorities noted that some officers were also responding to unrelated calls during the same period. Traffic conditions normalized once Avista restored service.
This is not the first public safety incident to test Lewiston emergency responders in recent weeks. A shop fire earlier left a building a total loss in Lewiston, and a similar power outage affecting more than 1,100 customers had already drawn attention to the city’s electrical infrastructure.
What Comes Next
Avista has not publicly announced what caused the transformer failure or whether additional infrastructure inspections are planned in North Lewiston. Residents in the affected corridors along Main Street and 12th Avenue may want to monitor Avista outage notifications and ensure surge-sensitive electronics are protected. No injuries were reported in connection with the outage or the traffic disruptions that followed.