Solar farm project mishap cuts power to nearly 1,100

Hole-drilling machinery at a solar farm project south of Redmond contacted an overhead power line Monday evening, causing the line to break and nearly 1,100 people to lose power, some for hours, officials said.

Redmond Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Puller said crews were called to the scene on S. Highway 97 just after 7 p.m.

Firefighters learned the machinery that drills holes made contact with an overhead power line, which broke and fell to the ground, Puller said.

That also caused another line that stretched across Highway 97 to hang lower than normal.

Pacific Power reported 1,089 customers lost power. Most got it back around 90 minutes later, as crews rerouted service, said spokesman Tom Gauntt.

It was expected to take until midnight to restore the 163 customers in the immediate area, after repairs were made.