Restoration efforts will continue through the weekend in hard-to-access areas.

Spokane, Wash. Dec. 18, 2025, 4:00 p.m.: Avista crews and support staff remain fully engaged in restoration efforts as day two of around-the-clock work continues following the windstorm. By Thursday afternoon, substantial progress has been made toward restoring service.

As of 4:00 p.m. Thursday, approximately 86% of customers have had power restored, with 11,875 customers still without service. Most remaining outages are concentrated in northern Idaho, with scattered incidents across Avista’s service territory. The estimated restoration time for northern Idaho is Sunday.

All available resources are committed to this effort, with over 350 personnel working in the field. This includes more than 45 Avista line crews, 36 contract crews, and 30 vegetation management crews, as well as support by hundreds of additional Avista employees across the company.

Wednesday’s windstorm caused extensive damage to Avista’s infrastructure. Saturated ground from recent rainfall, combined with powerful winds, brought trees and vegetation into contact with power lines and poles, pulling many to the ground.

Once conditions allowed, Avista crews began patrolling hundreds of miles of line, navigating hazardous terrain littered with fallen trees and debris. Using foot patrols, vehicles, helicopters, and drones, they worked to assess damage and accelerate restoration for customers.

Repairs remain complex and time-intensive, with hundreds of poles and miles of wire affected across the system. Replacing a single power pole can take up to eight hours. As restoration progresses throughout Avista’s service territory, crews will be reassigned to support remaining efforts until every customer’s power is restored.

“We recognize how disruptive this outage has been and the immense challenges caused by this historic windstorm for our customers,” said Heather Rosentrater, Avista President, and CEO. “I want to express my sincere gratitude for your patience as our teams work tirelessly to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. The support and appreciation shown to our crews by the hardest-hit communities has been truly inspiring.”

Restoration efforts will continue until every customer’s power is restored.

Outage status and estimated restoration times are available on the outage map located at myavista.com/outage.

What customers can do

Restoration may occur in stages, making it common for some homes to regain power before others and for customers to see crews come and go through their neighborhood. When service is restored, turning on a porch light helps signal to Avista crews that power is back at that location, allowing them to move through neighborhoods more efficiently.

Customers should also inspect their service equipment. Repairs may be needed before Avista can safely restore power.

• Look for a bent or broken overhead mast (usually on the roof where service connects from the pole)
• Check for a broken meter fitting or burned meter socket

If your electric meter is mounted on a pole and not attached to your home, it is considered part of your customer-owned service equipment. If the meter or pole is damaged or leaning, repairs must be completed before Avista can safely reconnect your service.

If damage has occurred, it must be repaired by a licensed electrician. Avista cannot perform work on customer-owned equipment.

Safety during an outage

Customer and employee safety is a top priority. Customers should treat all power lines as energized and stay clear of downed lines. Never attempt to remove debris from lines or drive over them. Report downed lines by calling 911, then Avista at (800) 227-9187.

For those using generators, Avista offers these important safety tips:

1. Location matters. Operate generators outdoors, at least three feet from all sides of the gas meter and away from doors, windows, and vents to prevent carbon monoxide buildup. Never use a generator indoors or in enclosed spaces.
2. Ensure the generator has adequate fuel and is in good working condition before an outage.
3. Keep ignition sources—such as sparks, welding equipment, or hot tools—away from generator connections.
4. If connecting a generator to a home’s electrical system, use a properly installed transfer switch.
5. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby when operating the generator.

Additionally, never use outdoor grills or other equipment not intended for indoor use to heat or cook inside, as fumes can be toxic.

Avista Utilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. We provide energy services and electricity to 422,000 customers and natural gas to 383,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.7 million. Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA). For more information, please visit myavista.com.

The Avista logo is a trademark of Avista Corporation.

-2539-

To unsubscribe from Avista’s news release distribution, send reply message to dalila.sheehan@avistacorp.com.