Fiber crews continue repairs in Leavenworth area following storm damage

LEAVENWORTH — Crews with Chelan County PUD continue long days of fiber repair work in the Leavenworth area following recent storm damage, with dozens of customers still without internet service as of this week.

According to the utility, approximately 85 customers remained out of service as of Thursday evening, though the number has been changing daily as repairs are completed. PUD officials said crews are coordinating directly with local internet service providers as restoration continues.

While electrical service was restored more quickly after the storm, officials said fiber internet systems require more time due to the complexity of the repair process. Fiber lines must be carefully spliced and tested, work that is significantly more intricate than reconnecting electrical infrastructure.

Communications linemen have been working extended shifts in and around Leavenworth, including along routes serving Lake Wenatchee and Plain. Repairs have included replacing damaged fiber feed lines and performing detailed splicing work, often overnight.

To complete those repairs, crews use specialized splicing tents that allow fiber optic cables to be joined in a temperature-controlled environment, a necessary step to ensure signal quality and long-term reliability.

PUD officials said they can provide updated outage figures as work continues and encouraged affected customers to stay in contact with their internet service providers for service-specific information.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media