Power Outage Hits Downtown Lewiston

Hundreds without electricity after pole fire in city center

Apr. 14, 2026 at 12:19am

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A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting depicting a dramatic, stormy sky with heavy clouds and a silhouetted utility pole in the foreground, conveying the overwhelming power of nature over the built environment.A powerful storm system overwhelms the electrical infrastructure, leaving a downtown area in darkness.Lewiston Today

A power outage has struck a swath of downtown Lewiston, Idaho, leaving around 400 customers without electricity on Monday evening. The outage appears to be related to a fire that damaged a power pole near the intersection of Idaho and Ninth streets.

Why it matters

Power outages can disrupt businesses, public services, and daily life for residents, especially in the city center. Identifying the cause and restoring service quickly is crucial to minimizing the impact on the community.

The details

Avista, the local utility provider, reported the outage affecting around 400 customers in the downtown Lewiston area. The company's online outage map showed the affected area, and a local Dairy Queen franchise announced it was closing for the rest of the day due to the lack of power.

  • The power outage was reported around 5 p.m. on Monday, April 14, 2026.

The players

Avista

The electric and natural gas utility company serving the Lewiston area.

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What’s next

Avista crews are working to investigate the cause of the power pole fire and restore electricity to the affected downtown Lewiston businesses and residences.

The takeaway

This power outage highlights the importance of reliable infrastructure and the need for quick response times from utility providers to minimize disruptions to the local community.