Us West Asked To Explain Outages

The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is looking into reports telephone service north of Shoshone is interrupted whenever there is an electrical power outage in the area.

The commission received a petition signed by 47 residents last month, asking it to determine if US West Communications is providing adequate backup telephone service when power goes out.

The area is served by a remote terminal connected to Idaho Power Co. In the event of an outage, backup batteries kick in until electrical service is restored.

PUC investigators were told the batteries lose their charge in longer outages and telephone service is lost.

Under Idaho law, US West must provide telephone service that is “adequate, efficient and reasonable.”

The commission set an Oct. 28 deadline for US West to explain why telephone service stops during a power outage.