Decreased wildfire weather conditions early Saturday allowed personnel to begin patrolling lines to perform safety checks. Vegetation debris was cleared in some spots and minor wind damage repair was required in other areas. Step restorations (turning on power section by section) then took place with customers re-energized by Saturday afternoon.
The Pacific Power meteorology team, using advanced forecast modeling, helped identify high risk areas ahead of the easterly wind conditions. The sophisticated data modeling was used to determine the timing to turn off power to help minimize the impact to the 12,000 affected customers. Pacific Power then positioned additional personnel and resources ahead of the wind event. This allowed for a quick and safe restoration process. Through real-time coordination with public safety partners, three community resource centers were established to help support impacted communities through the event.
“Community safety and reducing wildfire risk are top priorities for us,” said Allen Berreth, vice president of operations. “We thank our customers for their patience and understanding through this event. I also acknowledge the all-hands-on-deck approach from Pacific Power personnel. Our team emphasized safety for our customers, communities and co-workers. We thank the crews patrolling and repairing lines, the staff monitoring conditions and volunteers at the community resource centers.”
For more information on Pacific Power’s wildfire mitigation practices, please visit www.pacificpower.net/
