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Xcel Energy outlines wildfire mitigation upgrades in Chaffee County, cites pole replacements and reconductoring
Summary
Xcel Energy told Chaffee County officials it has completed dozens of pole replacements and reconductoring projects, installed fault indicators, and will focus summer work on the Poncha-to-Monarch feeder to strengthen the system against wildfire risk.
Xcel Energy representatives briefed Chaffee County commissioners on a year of work to harden the county’s distribution system against wildfire risk, saying the company has completed 64 pole replacements, 14 full changeouts and reconductored 65 spans totaling 10,542 feet.
"We have done a lot of pole replacement in Salida in Chaffee County," said Ashley Valdez, area manager for community and local government affairs for Xcel Energy. Valdez added that crews have also completed 312 fuse, cutout and arrestor changes and installed three fault indicators to speed outage location and restoration.
Valdez said the company sought and received Public Utilities Commission approval for a wildfire mitigation plan and that the work is intended to fortify the system and reduce ignition risk. She described a layering of steps including enhanced power line safety settings and, in extreme cases, public safety power shutoffs that would be used only when conditions are severe.
Xcel emphasized that some work is disruptive in the short term — planned outages and overnight work — but said the long-term result will be a stronger system and fewer, shorter outages. The company requested coordination with CDOT for permitting on the Poncha 2802 feeder, which it says will be a primary focus this summer.
Next steps: Xcel said it will provide more detailed scheduling information for the 155 remaining work items on the 2802 feeder and will follow up with county staff and commissioners.
