Latest news with #WildfireMitigationPlan
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Black Hills Energy developing emergency shutoff program
(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — Black Hills Energy (BHE) is developing a program to allow the utility to shut off power in high-wildfire risk areas during 'extreme conditions.' According to BHE, the utility is preparing to launch the 'Public Safety Power Shutoff' (PSPS) program by mid-summer 2025. BHE said the PSPS program involves 'selectively and proactively' shutting off power to high-risk fire areas during extreme weather conditions until those conditions improve, with the goal of preventing electric facilities from becoming a source of wildfire ignition. 'At Black Hills Energy, the safety of our customers, employees and communities is our highest priority,' said Campbell Hawkins, vice president of Colorado utilities. 'We believe that a Public Safety Power Shutoff program is a necessary and critical tool for wildfire prevention and mitigation, particularly for utilities with high fire risk areas.' BHE said if a power line is proactively de-energized during a shutoff, it will not be turned back on until conditions improve, and until crews have inspected power lines. This process may result in outages lasting a few hours or a few days. 'Peer utilities are currently implementing and executing similar programs,' Hawkins said. 'To determine if a Public Safety Power Shutoff is necessary, Black Hills Energy will leverage industry criteria that include a combination of wind gust speeds and low relative humidity.' According to Hawkins, BHE does not intend to trigger a shutoff based only on a Red Flag Warning being issued by the National Weather Service; however Red Flag Warnings do trigger other operational responses already in place, which are outlined in the company's Wildfire Mitigation Plan. BHE said it would communicate with customers before any shutoff occurs, and said the shutoff would only be used as a last resort. During and after a PSPS event, BHE said public notifications would occur through phone calls, emails, text messages, social media, media outlets and BHE's website. BHE reminds the community to have a backup plan in place for medicine that needs to be refrigerated or medical equipment that is powered by electricity. This could mean finding a place you can go during an outage or having a backup generator. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southern California Edison submits three-year wildfire mitigation plan
(Reuters) -Southern California Edison (SCE), a unit of utility Edison International, said on Friday it has submitted a three-year Wildfire Mitigation Plan to California's Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. The plan builds on efforts to address immediate and long-term wildfire risks in response to evolving customer needs and extreme weather events, SCE said. The company expects an investment of $6.2 billion over three years from 2026 to 2028, which includes installation of at least additional 440 circuit miles of covered conductor and nearly 260 circuit miles of underground distribution lines. "With drought conditions across the state, we are preparing for another busy year" fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority Brian Fennessy said. Southern California Edison has been facing multiple lawsuits alleging that its electrical equipment started one of the major wildfires in the Los Angeles area – the Eaton fire. In April, the utility had submitted an initial plan to rebuild the areas within its service territory that were devastated by the Los Angeles wildfires, where it estimated the cost to be between $860 million and $925 million. The wildfires tore across Los Angeles starting on January 7, leading to dozens of deaths and destroying thousands of homes. It is estimated to be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. The WMP includes safety tools and methodologies such as AI and machine learning detection, early fault detection and alternative undergrounding approaches, SCE said.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southern California Edison's Wildfire Mitigation Plan Leverages Grid Innovations to Advance Community Safety
Three-year plan provides blueprint for expanded public safety measures ROSEMEAD, Calif., May 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Southern California Edison submitted its 2026-2028 Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) to California's Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. The plan builds on ongoing efforts to address immediate and long-term wildfire risks in response to evolving community needs and extreme weather events. "We developed our three-year plan with a layered defense strategy to help safeguard our communities against wildfire threats," said Steven Powell, president and CEO of SCE. "The heartbreaking January wildfires in Southern California underscore the importance and urgency in advancing mitigations and using new tools to increase infrastructure resiliency and safety. While wildfire risk can never be fully eliminated, we continue to harden the grid and invest in innovative approaches to bring us as close to zero as possible." SCE anticipates an investment of $6.2 billion over three years to achieve the WMP, which calls for installation of at least an additional 440 circuit miles of covered conductor and at least 260 circuit miles of underground distribution lines. The company also seeks continued support for aerial firefighting assets throughout the service area, including the world's largest helitankers with nighttime firefighting capabilities. "With drought conditions across the state, we are preparing for another busy year," said Brian Fennessy, fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority. "The intensity of recent fires is a reminder of how important it is to hit fast and hard – and how devastating it can be if we don't react quickly. Having dedicated aerial resources funded by SCE allows us to respond swiftly and effectively to wildfires, securing the tools and support needed to protect lives and property." Enhanced Technology Driving Safety The 2026-2028 WMP includes new and expanded tools and methodologies to improve safety, reliability and efficiency. Highlights include: Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter: Immediately detects ground faults and reduces voltage when a line contacts the ground while maintaining service through remaining lines for customers. AI and Machine Learning Detection: Advanced models to improve grid inspections and identify maintenance needs, with faster, more accurate diagnostics and enhanced quality control. Vegetation Management via Remote Sensing: LiDAR and satellite imagery for precise, proactive and effective vegetation monitoring and management to help prevent ignitions. Alternative Undergrounding Approaches: Protected lines installed at ground level instead of traditional undergrounding (i.e., trenching into the ground), allowing SCE to perform grid hardening work more quickly and cost effectively. Early Fault Detection Expansion: Expand this grid "health monitoring" system to 200 new locations, helping SCE detect equipment failures early. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) remain an important tool in wildfire prevention, given the threat of extreme weather events and potential for urban fire spread in Southern California. SCE plans to bolster customer support and outreach to improve safety and lessen the hardship of PSPS events. "PSPS saves lives," said Jill C. Anderson, executive vice president and chief operating officer for SCE. "During the windstorm this past January, we identified nearly 90 potential ignition sources in the storm's aftermath that were prevented because the lines were deenergized due to PSPS. We continue to make investments in critical safety measures, such as covered conductor and fast-acting fuses that prevent potential ignitions across the high fire risk sections of our service area." Additional new and expanded measures in the WMP include enhancements in transmission resiliency, such as more structure brushing, proactive splice shunting and subtransmission grid hardening. Other wildfire mitigation plans include increasing undergrounding efforts, integrating climate change scenarios into risk models and using AI for HD camera data feeds to assess real-time conditions of a fire. The plan continues SCE's foundational wildfire mitigations, such as installation of covered conductor, and more frequent equipment inspections and trimming of vegetation that could potentially contact power lines and lead to ignitions. "SCE's wildfire mitigation strategy continues to evolve as we balance cost, reliability and safety while pioneering innovative technologies to protect communities from wildfire risks," added Powell. Visit for more information regarding SCE's Wildfire Mitigation Plan. About Southern California Edison An Edison International (NYSE: EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of approximately 15 million via 5 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California. View source version on Contacts Media Relations: (626) 302-2255Investor Relations: Sam Ramraj, (626) 302-2540News@
Business Wire
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Southern California Edison's Wildfire Mitigation Plan Leverages Grid Innovations to Advance Community Safety
ROSEMEAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Southern California Edison submitted its 2026-2028 Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) to California's Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. The plan builds on ongoing efforts to address immediate and long-term wildfire risks in response to evolving community needs and extreme weather events. 'We developed our three-year plan with a layered defense strategy to help safeguard our communities against wildfire threats,' said Steven Powell, president and CEO of SCE. 'The heartbreaking January wildfires in Southern California underscore the importance and urgency in advancing mitigations and using new tools to increase infrastructure resiliency and safety. While wildfire risk can never be fully eliminated, we continue to harden the grid and invest in innovative approaches to bring us as close to zero as possible.' SCE anticipates an investment of $6.2 billion over three years to achieve the WMP, which calls for installation of at least an additional 440 circuit miles of covered conductor and at least 260 circuit miles of underground distribution lines. The company also seeks continued support for aerial firefighting assets throughout the service area, including the world's largest helitankers with nighttime firefighting capabilities. 'With drought conditions across the state, we are preparing for another busy year,' said Brian Fennessy, fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority. 'The intensity of recent fires is a reminder of how important it is to hit fast and hard – and how devastating it can be if we don't react quickly. Having dedicated aerial resources funded by SCE allows us to respond swiftly and effectively to wildfires, securing the tools and support needed to protect lives and property.' Enhanced Technology Driving Safety The 2026-2028 WMP includes new and expanded tools and methodologies to improve safety, reliability and efficiency. Highlights include: Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter: Immediately detects ground faults and reduces voltage when a line contacts the ground while maintaining service through remaining lines for customers. AI and Machine Learning Detection: Advanced models to improve grid inspections and identify maintenance needs, with faster, more accurate diagnostics and enhanced quality control. Vegetation Management via Remote Sensing: LiDAR and satellite imagery for precise, proactive and effective vegetation monitoring and management to help prevent ignitions. Alternative Undergrounding Approaches: Protected lines installed at ground level instead of traditional undergrounding (i.e., trenching into the ground), allowing SCE to perform grid hardening work more quickly and cost effectively. Early Fault Detection Expansion: Expand this grid 'health monitoring' system to 200 new locations, helping SCE detect equipment failures early. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) remain an important tool in wildfire prevention, given the threat of extreme weather events and potential for urban fire spread in Southern California. SCE plans to bolster customer support and outreach to improve safety and lessen the hardship of PSPS events. 'PSPS saves lives,' said Jill C. Anderson, executive vice president and chief operating officer for SCE. 'During the windstorm this past January, we identified nearly 90 potential ignition sources in the storm's aftermath that were prevented because the lines were deenergized due to PSPS. We continue to make investments in critical safety measures, such as covered conductor and fast-acting fuses that prevent potential ignitions across the high fire risk sections of our service area.' Additional new and expanded measures in the WMP include enhancements in transmission resiliency, such as more structure brushing, proactive splice shunting and subtransmission grid hardening. Other wildfire mitigation plans include increasing undergrounding efforts, integrating climate change scenarios into risk models and using AI for HD camera data feeds to assess real-time conditions of a fire. The plan continues SCE's foundational wildfire mitigations, such as installation of covered conductor, and more frequent equipment inspections and trimming of vegetation that could potentially contact power lines and lead to ignitions. 'SCE's wildfire mitigation strategy continues to evolve as we balance cost, reliability and safety while pioneering innovative technologies to protect communities from wildfire risks,' added Powell. Visit for more information regarding SCE's Wildfire Mitigation Plan. An Edison International (NYSE: EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of approximately 15 million via 5 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boulder enters agreement with Xcel Energy to quicken wildfire safety upgrades
DENVER (KDVR) — The city of Boulder announced Monday that it had entered into a settlement agreement with Xcel Energy and other parties that the city said would bring faster, more equitable wildfire safety upgrades to the community. The settlement must be approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, but the agreement was filed as part of Xcel's Wildfire Mitigation Plan that guides the company's priorities. The agreement will ensure Xcel prioritizes Boulder and other wildfire-prone communities for wildfire safety investments during the next three years. Xcel Energy proposes rate hikes, power shutoffs in $1.9B Wildfire Mitigation Plan 'This is a significant step toward making our community safer and more resilient in the face of growing wildfire threats,' said Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, Boulder city manager, in a release. 'I am proud of the work our city team did to ensure the voices of our community, and our neighboring communities, were heard and to help shape a plan that better protects the people and places most at risk.' According to Boulder's city website, the plan from Xcel was submitted to the PUC last summer. Boulder intervened in the PUC proceedings to help shape the plan and advocate for local priorities. Earlier this year, the city and the utility provider joined other stakeholders to present unified recommendations to the PUC, and on April 18, the comprehensive, unanimous settlement was agreed upon. Boulder, alongside state agencies and other organizations, helped negotiate the agreement to ensure high fire risk communities are better protected from the threat of utility-ignited wildfire, such as the Marshall Fire. The company is facing hundreds of complaints, according to information the company gave investors, after the Boulder County Sheriff's Office pointed to the electric and natural gas supplier as a possible second-ignition cause of the Marshall Fire on Dec. 30, 2021. Then, in April 2024, Xcel Energy shut off power for tens of thousands of Denver metro customers due to high winds in the area. The action was the first of its kind to be taken in Colorado and frustrated many residents, including those who had medical needs that required power. Xcel Energy: Proposed natural gas, energy prices may add more than $2.50 to Colorado residential bills 'The safety and wildfire resiliency of our community is a shared responsibility,' said Chief Brian Oliver, the city of Boulder Fire-Rescue's wildland division chief, in a release. 'Being able to partner with regional organizations like Xcel on wildfire resiliency is just as important as the role the city plays and the role each member of our community plays in creating defensible space and hardening homes. These efforts also go a long way in assisting response efforts.' Xcel is assuring that its plan will accelerate wildfire safety upgrades in and around Boulder, with anticipated actions to be taken including replacing aging poles and installing stronger, more fire-resistant equipment. The utility provider also said that it will work with the city to improve how planned outages are communicated, especially for vulnerable community members. Xcel also agreed to provide better data and clearer communication to help Boulder plan and respond to wildfire risks. The PUC is expected to review and release a decision on the settlement later this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
