The Public Safety Power Shutoff is a little-used method meant to keep electrical equipment from sparking a wildfire, but it’s one Oregonians should prepare for.
Pacific Power spokesperson Simon Gutierrez said such shutoffs are rare, and the company has only implemented it once in Oregon, in 2022. Utilities have to weigh the risks of cutting power for vital services such as communication and fueling, with the possible risks to lives and structures from a wildfire.
“We have the capability to enact a public safety power shutoff anywhere in our service area," Gutierrez said. "That’s a slight change. I think we used to do it primarily in fire high-consequence areas.”
Gutierrez said five in-house meteorologists monitor for high winds, dry fuels, and red flag warnings, and the company will alert customers 48 hours before a potential power shutoff, if possible.
On its website, the Eugene Water and Electric Board says it may use public safety power shutoffs only in high risk areas, and only as an act of last resort.
Utilities may also adjust the settings on their equipment to be more sensitive, so power lines will de-energize in fractions of a second if, say, a branch falls onto a line. EWEB has had such measures in place in South Eugene and the McKenzie Valley beginning July 3.
Gutierrez, with Pacific Power, said there are also things that households can do. “We ask that customers be prepared for outages throughout the year, to have an outage kit ready to go," he said, listing some of the items to have on hand: "drinking water for the entire family, food for the entire family, batteries and flashlights, things like that, and a radio to stay in touch with current events.”
Gutierrez said customers should also make sure contact information and preferences are up to date, in order to get alerts.
Before turning the power back on after a shutoff, every line must be visually inspected, so restoring power can be a lengthy process.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs were not used in advance of the 2020 wildfires. Pacific Power’s parent company, Pacificorp, reached settlement agreements with timber companies and individual plaintiffs from the Archie Creek Fire in Douglas County totaling more than half a billion dollars, and a $178 million settlement agreement from the Beachie Creek and Echo Mountain fires. Other litigation is pending.
There is also pending litigation against Bonneville Power, Lane Electric and EWEB regarding the Holiday Farm Fire.
