Two CVUSD schools plan to reopen Monday as crews work to restore power lines

Classes were canceled Friday for a third day in a row at West Shores High School and Seaview Elementary and Middle School after strong winds knocked down 76 power poles around the area earlier this week.

Coachella Valley Unified Superintendent Luis Valentino said Thursday night at a school board meeting that he expects the schools to reopen on Monday, using large generators for power if need be.

Around 2,500 customers were without electrical power in the Salton City and eastern Imperial County area after strong winds from Tuesday’s storm knocked down 76 power poles on a major transmission line, according to Imperial Irrigation District.

There may be some customers who won’t have power for more than a day and complete restoration may take several days, the power provider said in a news release.

Valentino said he was unsure whether the schools would be reconnected to power from the utility provider by Monday.

IID said Wednesday that district engineers and construction crews are re-routing power to the area and installing temporary power poles. But strong winds have decreased visibility and the power provider is still assessing the damage because of the remote location and terrain, IID added.

“We are working through solutions as diligently as we can as we go through this,” said Energy Department Manager Jamie Asbury. "We appreciate the patience of our customers as we work under these difficult circumstances.”

There were 35 power poles that went down north of Salton City and 41 that went down south of the city, according to IID.

This story contains previous reporting from Desert Sun staff writer Ani Gasparyan.

Jonathan Horwitz covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach him at jonathan.horwitz@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: West Shores High School, Seaview Elementary plan to reopen Monday