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PGE outlines wildfire resiliency steps for Sandy, including undergrounding near Mount Hood
Summary
Portland General Electric told the Sandy City Council it is expanding wildfire resiliency efforts—using meteorologists, situational cameras, undergrounding projects and faster fault detection—to protect local service and speed post-storm recovery.
Portland General Electric representatives told the Sandy City Council on July 20 that the utility is expanding resiliency work in the area, citing aged transmission infrastructure and recent extreme weather. "We've got 2 in house meteorologists," said JD Podlesnick, PGE senior director, describing daily forecasts and coordination that guide crew staging and response.
Podlesnick said much of the transmission system was built in the 1970s–1980s and PGE is balancing targeted upgrades with the need to replace aging equipment. He outlined investments in situational awareness—weather stations, cameras and AI that can flag smoke—and an integrated operations center in Tualatin housing wildfire and grid operations teams. "That building was actually moved outside of Downtown Portland to the Tualatin area," he said, noting the facility allows faster coordinated response and improved cyber-physical monitoring.
The utility described local projects including the Summit 13 undergrounding work near Mount Hood, a two-year effort the presenter said began in 2026 and will finish in 2027 to reduce fire and wind exposure on distribution circuits. Podlesnick also highlighted pilot technology on the Sandy Wildcat feeder for early fault detection and a citywide inspection program starting in 2028 to identify poles and crossarms that need repair or replacement.
Heidi Bell, PGE government-affairs liaison and the council's point of contact, offered to coordinate permitting and volunteer outreach for vegetation clearance and community programs. PGE said it will continue annual briefings with city staff and make materials available for local emergency managers and first responders.
The presentation closed with PGE's offer to host tours and to continue community engagement: "Heidi is your one stop contact here," Podlesnick said, asking councilors to contact Bell as projects move forward.
