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Xcel Energy outlines wildfire mitigation plan, warns public-safety power shutoffs are possible
Summary
Xcel Energy officials briefed the Lake County Board of County Commissioners on the utility's wildfire mitigation program including situational monitoring, enhanced power-safety settings, vegetation clearing and the prospect of public-safety power shutoffs (PSPS). Officials said PSPS are a last-resort tool and described efforts to improve customer,
Blair McGarry, Xcel Energy area manager for Lake County, told the Lake County Board of County Commissioners during a Sept. 23 work session that the utility is implementing a wildfire mitigation plan filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and is preparing for the possibility of public-safety power shutoffs (PSPS).
McGarry said Xcel has invested more than $500,000,000 in statewide wildfire mitigation since 2020 and has deployed new tools including daily risk modeling, weather stations, LIDAR and drone inspections. “Our goal is to ensure that no catastrophic wildfire is associated with Xcel Energy assets,” McGarry said.
The presentation explained how the utility assesses fire risk each day using wildfire modeling software (Technosilva/Wildfire Analyst), updates a wildfire-risk model as data arrive and pairs automated tools with 24/7 human monitoring. McGarry described “enhanced power safety settings,” under which automatic reclosing devices are disabled so crews must patrol…
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