This year, power shut-offs for irrigation pumps are much more frequent, widespread, and more prolonged than ever before.
If you have an outage, PLEASE CALL Pacific Power’s Irrigation Hotline at 800-715-9238. Tell them what is happening, where it is, and the consequences, including crop or pump damage.
Some growers have reported:
- Loss of control of important water control structures.
- Increased risk to high-value equipment, such as variable frequency drives, that the company encourages you to install.
- Increased demand after outages to deal with excessive runoff caused by down pumps and loss of control structures/monitoring infrastructure.
- Crop damage risks include results of chemical burn from incomplete rinsing after crop treatments.
The Irrigation Hotline staff is not an enemy. Be respectful and ask to speak to a manager. They need good information to get to the right place.
We understand your frustration. KWUA believes Pacific Power has changed its operating strategy to prioritize avoiding liability for wildfires over reliable service. While we all understand there are wildfire issues, KWUA also believes the company has gone further than necessary.
Thanks to Representative Emily McIntire, the Oregon Public Utilities Commission and corporate officials at Pacific Power know there is a problem. We want to help them solve it, and your information is essential.
Pacific Power Hotline: 800-715-923
Image Caption:
More than ever, Klamath Project producers are experiencing power shut-offs with severe consequences affecting sensitive irrigation equipment and crop damage. (Image: PacifiCorp / Pacific Power Transmission lines as they cross over the agricultural land of the Klamath Project. By Brian Gailey, KWUA)
