Puget Sound Energy (PSE) crews were working to restore power to a section of Mercer Island’s First Hill neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon after a fallen tree took down some wires.

According to PSE’s outage map, power was expected to be restored at 3 p.m. after going out at 12:50 p.m. and affecting 1,154 customers.

There was another outage on 61st Avenue S.E. by I-90 affecting eight customers, and a third mid-way down the Island near Merrimount Drive and 80th Avenue S.E. leaving two customers without power.

First Hill residents are frustrated by their frequent loss of power, according to social media. Islanders have previously asked the city if any power lines can be put underground to avoid damage from falling trees, prompting a response article in the city’s April 29 newsletter.

“This choice comes at great cost,”  it stated.

There were high wind events and significant outages due to fallen trees on the Island on Oct. 25, 2014 and Feb. 7, 2015.

According to PSE research, the cost to construct underground transmission lines is $2 million to $3 million per mile, compared to $600,000 to $800,000 dollars per mile for overhead lines. Per Washington State rules, if an overhead route is viable, the additional cost to accomplish undergrounding must be borne by the group requesting the project.

In addition, burying lines in an existing, established neighborhood can be even more expensive due to the extensive vegetation clearing required for trenching and then the subsequent concrete and asphalt work.

The city has also explored participating in cost-sharing arrangements with PSE to underground some specific segments of the higher voltage transmission line network.

Seattle City Light also reported several outages on Wednesday, with one in southeast Seattle caused by a lightning strike.