Update on outage in White Rock

Published on August 14, 2025

Thursday morning’s power outage in White Rock knocked out electricity for more than 900 customers around 8:30 a.m. and was resolved an hour later.

The outage started when a delivery truck snagged a line on a power pole near Piñon School. While it was initially believed to be a power line that was snagged, Stephen Marez, Deputy Utility Manager at the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU), explained that the line that was caught was actually a telephone cable on the power pole. This snag shook the pole and the powerlines it was holding enough to knock out electricity immediately.

Marez reminds community members to never approach downed power lines. Power poles hold powerlines and communications lines as well as guy wires and many people do not immediately recognize the differences. The safest response is to stay away from any downed line and notify the DPU or police dispatch right away.

• DPU (505) 662-8333
• Non-emergency dispatch (505) 662-8222
• Emergency dispatch 911

DPU can be reached at (505) 662-8333 during business hours, by email at CustomerCare@lacnm.us, or in person during business hours (M-F, 8-5) at the Los Alamos County Municipal Building. Urgent issues outside of business hours should be directed to (505) 662-8222. For general input on any utility topic, community members may submit an online form at ladpu.com/feedback .

The pole that held the cable that was snagged Thursday morning was left leaning after power was restored to White Rock electric customers.

DPU’s Electric Distribution crews followed up power restoration by straightening the power pole.