Thousands in city of Maricopa get electricity back after widespread power outage
Apr 23, 2024, 8:12 AM | Updated: 11:32 am
A power outage left thousands of residents in the city of Maricopa without electricity on Tuesday morning, April 23, 2024. (Pexels Photo)
(Pexels Photo)
PHOENIX – The power has been restored in Maricopa after a widespread outage left much of the Arizona city without electricity Tuesday morning.
Electrical District No. 3 (ED3), the city’s primary electrical utility, said its distribution system lost power from the transmission system at 6:41 a.m.
More than 33,000 customers — nearly all of ED3’s members — were without power at the peak of the outage, according to the provider’s outage map.
ED3 said Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and Arizonan Public Service (APS) transformers were re-energized at 9:14 a.m. The power came back up gradually over the next two hours.
How was the Maricopa power outage fixed?
“ED3 reached out to our transmission providers, APS and WAPA, and various stakeholders to coordinate a response to the outage,” the utility district said in a press release after the outage was fixed. “APS dispatched transmission personnel to inspect APS facilities. WAPA and APS both re-energized their transformers on the transmission side. ED3’s system has since been restored, including power to all feeders.”
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By 11 a.m., the outage map said all but around 20 members had their power back. ED3 advised anybody who was still without electricity to check their breakers.
It’s not clear what caused the outage.
“ED3 continues to investigate the matter and we have requested information from both APS and WAPA,” the utility district said.
APS, which serves a small portion of Maricopa, said about 80 of its customers in the city were temporarily without power for a stretch Tuesday morning.
The Maricopa Police Department deployed officers to direct traffic at main intersections while the signals weren’t working.
The city closed the Copper Sky Recreation Complex, Maricopa Library and Cultural Center, and Maricopa Community Center until the power was restored at the facilities around 10:30 a.m.
What is Electrical District No. 3?
ED3 is a not-for-profit utility district formed by the Pinal County Board of Supervisors in 1926. It provides service in Maricopa and the unincorporated community of Stanfield.
Maricopa, which is located about 35 miles south of downtown Phoenix, has approximately 75,000 residents.
