Widespread power outage hits Black Hills, Wyoming and parts of Montana; Rapid city police department issues advisory

Widespread power outages reportedly affected the Black Hills, northeastern Wyoming and parts of Montana. According to Rapid City officials, Black Hills Energy crews have started restoring electricity in some neighbourhoods.

Police and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Department are managing traffic at major intersections that remain without power, according to Kotatv. The city is urging residents to stay put unless travel is necessary

The outage also caused Rapid City Transit to halt service until 2:30 pm (local time). Buses are now operating again, though RTS officials warn that riders may still face delays because some intersections remain affected or are experiencing heavy traffic. The Pennington County Courthouse was evacuated after electrical issues led to reports of popping noises and smoke.

Rapid City Police Department issues advisory

“MOTORIST ADVISORY: We’re getting reports of a widespread power outage across Rapid City. If you encounter an intersection with a non-functional traffic signal, treat it as a four-way stop. We’re currently working with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office to get officers and deputies to assist with traffic at the city’s busier intersections for the time being,” Rapid City Police Department’s post said on Facebook.

The Rapid City Public Library has shut down because of equipment problems, the report noted. The Rapid City Fire Department is reminding the public to call 911 only for true emergencies, not to report or ask about power outages, so emergency lines stay clear.

A KOTA reporter spoke with a representative from Black Hills Energy, who explained that a transmission issue connected to a third-party facility was to blame.

Meanwhile, Black Hills Energy released a statement saying it has implemented its response plan and that its crews are thoroughly trained to handle situations like this. Nearly half of their affected customers have had their power back. According to Black Hills Energy, it they will continue to safely restore power to customers this afternoon and potentially into the evening hours.

Widespread power outage affects Dominican Republic

In related news, Parts of the Dominican capital, Santo Domingo, and the tourist hub of Punta Cana were left without electricity Tuesday after the national energy provider reported a widespread outage caused by a “transmission system failure”, according to AFP.

Social media posts indicated that other regions around the country were also impacted. By evening, officials said that power was being progressively brought back online.

Energy Minister Joel Santos told reporters that “it is a failure that ended up affecting the system as a whole, creating what is called a blackout. Obviously, it is a regrettable situation.”

He added that “the service will be gradually restored… We already have 455 megawatts, which represents about 15 percent of the estimated demand.”