The Golden Valley Electric Association said power was back online Monday in Fairbanks after a morning "systemwide outage" in the Fairbanks area as high winds passed through Interior Alaska.
According to a message from a dispatcher on GVEA's outage reporting hotline at 9:23 a.m. Monday, affected areas included the Goldstream Valley, Henderson Road, Ester Dome, the Old Nenana Highway, Cripple Creek, Chena Ridge Road, Becker Ridge Road and College Road from approximately Danby Street to the Johansen Expressway.
"If you're anywhere near these areas, this includes you," a dispatcher said in the message.
GVEA spokesperson Corinne Bardish said about 1,200 people were affected by the outages, which were caused by snow-loaded trees falling onto power lines. Three crews worked on repairs, with the utility's Facebook page reporting shortly after 1 p.m. that all power had been restored by 11:30 a.m.
The National Weather Service reported Monday morning that the Delta Junction area and eastern Alaska Range, both under high wind warnings, could expect gusts up to 80 mph through 6 p.m. Monday. Gusts up to 77 mph had already been recorded near the Richardson Highway as of 6 a.m. Monday.
Bardish said further outages were possible as more snow fell throughout the day, with crews preparing for a second and stronger wind event expected by the weather service overnight Tuesday. GVEA encouraged anyone without power to call its outage hotline at 907-452-1151.