Turning off the electrical grid to prevent wildfires is a complex and technical operation that was first tried in California, and Colorado is the latest state to try it.
Entire world’s largest and most intricate machinery is the American power grid. Additionally, it is getting older and is experiencing more stress from climate-related events like heat waves, hurricanes, and wildfires.
Power grids have contributed to wildfires in several states over the last ten years, including California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Minnesota. Electrical infrastructure, such as overhead power lines, can spark against other components or blow into vegetation when wind speeds are high and humidity is low.
This can result in the beginning of a fire that is then quickly spread by strong winds.
Utilities may choose to turn off electricity to a portion of the grid within their service areas in order to lower the risk of wildfires in extreme circumstances.
Public safety power shutoffs, as these outages are called, have mostly happened in California, where wildfires have grown larger and more destructive in recent years.
The first public safety power outage in Colorado was executed by utility Xcel Energy on April 5–6, 2024, sparing thousands of customers’ power in advance of a strong windstorm. Customers of Xcel and public officials both expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of notice or explanation they had received.
State regulators have been instructed by Governor Jared Polis to look into the incident and suggest improved protocols going forward.
