Recent wildfires, particularly those close to home, demonstrate the reality – and unpredictability – of wildfires in Colorado. Now more than ever it is important to have a plan and be as prepared as possible.
United Power serves a territory that includes the plains of eastern Colorado and two rugged mountain canyons in the Foothills with dense forests and ample fuel for wildfires. Thanks to the dedicated effort of your cooperative’s operations team, we implemented a robust and aggressive fire mitigation plan to protect our members. This plan is reviewed and revised every year to make sure your cooperative is taking advantage of the most up-to-date and innovative technology, which can proactively alert us to equipment failure or heat warnings. We encourage all United Power members to read the plan, found on our website at www.unitedpower.com/fire-mitigation, to understand how your cooperative is working to mitigate the possible loss of life and property from wildfires.
The fire mitigation plan identifies three core areas of focus: vegetation management, system improvements, and situational awareness.
Reducing dead or dying trees and excess plant growth to limit exposure to electrical equipment is the goal of vegetation management. Using a sophisticated software system, tree trimming crews identify risk areas in real time, coordinate operations more efficiently, and track progress more accurately.
The cooperative continues its effort to replace overhead power lines in high-risk areas with covered conductor and undergrounding power lines where feasible. Checkpoints throughout the system are designed to track the flow of power and react safely to unexpected changes, helping our crews isolate outages while also mitigating wildfire risk. These pieces of equipment are regularly compared against emerging technology for better performance and greater system monitoring opportunities. Cameras and sensors deployed throughout the mountain territory help monitor and alert United Power and local fire entities if a fire or smoke is detected. The cooperative also uses a fire retardant on poles to limit damages to its power delivery system if there is a fire.
While United Power has proactively implemented ongoing projects to protect the system and our members from the harmful potential for wildfires, the unpredictability of weather in higher elevation areas remains a concern. The cooperative uses a special protocol to adjust system response during specific weather conditions, such as Red Flag Warnings. These warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when warm temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are expected – conditions that increase the risk of a fire. Under this protocol, the system immediately cuts the flow of power when an interruption is detected, and crews physically patrol the line before it can be reenergized. Power interruptions may last longer than usual because a manual process is required, but it significantly reduces the risk of a fire. As a last resort, when conditions are at their worst, United Power may preemptively shut off power.
Members can stay informed by reading more about our wildfire mitigation plan at www.unitedpower.com/fire-mitigation. Think carefully about the ways you are preparing your own plan. Our website is a great resource to help members create their personal mitigation and safety plan.
As always, feel free to reach out to me with your questions, comments, or concerns at www.unitedpower.com/ceo. I am honored to work for United Power and serve our members. I enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your continued support.