This year, power outages for irrigation and drainage pumping have been much more frequent, widespread, and extended than in any time in memory. Through reporting by the affected agricultural community, Pacific Power has become aware of the significant problems this causes. Klamath Water Users Association has engaged with Pacific Power, including senior management up to the President of the company, and asked that it provide information about how the problem is being or will be addressed. We are sharing the letter from Regional Business Manager Todd Andres. – Paul Simmons, KWUA Executive Director
Wildfires threaten water users’ access to safe and reliable power
Summer 2024 has been a devastating year for wildfires in Southern and Eastern Oregon and Northern California. The Klamath Basin has experienced five major fires burning tens of thousands of acres, which have devastated local farmlands, ranches and agricultural communities across the region. Sadly, this is the new reality of wildfire season. Extreme weather is driving wildfires to greater intensity and destruction, and their impact has grown far beyond just a physical danger. Wildfires are now disrupting our collective livelihoods, as many KWUA members have experienced this summer.
To reduce ignition risk, Pacific Power has instituted a policy to de-energize power when active wildfires threaten power lines and equipment. We also use Enhanced Safety Settings during wildfire season. These sensitive settings de-energize power within fractions of a second when a fault such as a branch or animal comes into contact with a power line. To ensure Enhanced Safety Settings impact the smallest number of farmers, KWUA and Pacific Power have worked together to create smaller sections of the grid that would be de-energized if a fault occurs. By doing so, fewer farmers are affected.
We recognize that these shut-offs cause disruption for KWUA members, who need a reliable power supply to maintain water pump operations. The situation is understandably frustrating when members face both the threat of active wildfire and potential production losses due to lack of irrigation. At the same time, we must balance our mission of providing reliable, affordable power with the safety of our customers and communities when there is extreme wildfire ignition risk.
In addition to wildfire threat mitigation, Pacific Power is also investing two billion dollars in grid hardening efforts such as installing covered conductors, undergrounding power lines when necessary, installing fire-protected poles and conducting enhanced vegetation management.
As extreme weather becomes more common, both utilities and water users will face financial struggles to acquire insurance and manage soaring operations costs. Oregon and California need new solutions to preserve water users’ access to the water they need and utilities’ capacity to provide safe and reliable power. In order to support state and local economic growth, utilities need to be financially healthy. Utilities that are not financially stable are not able to make critical investments needed to deliver reliable energy and meet growing demand.
Wildfire and the increase in extreme weather are an everyone problem that must be addressed with statewide solutions involving public and private partnerships. Our state leaders must protect current and future generations of agricultural families in the Klamath Basin by identifying solutions to both fight wildfires and mitigate their financial impact.