A Public Safety Power Shutoff is intended to be used as a last resort to protect communities, property and first responders
On July 16, the Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Libby service area was impacted by a brief Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) implemented by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). While BPA’s Public Safety Power Shutoff Program has been in place since 2011, this was the first time a PSPS has impacted FEC’s service area in Northwest Montana. FEC’s goal is to help our members understand Public Safety Power Shutoffs and the circumstances surrounding this event.
What happened?
Around 5 p.m., the Co-op received notice that BPA planned to implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff at 6 p.m., de-energizing the high-voltage transmission line serving the Libby area. Co-op staff immediately began notifying members about the planned shutoff, and BPA initiated the shutoff at approximately 6 p.m. Shortly after, in response to rapidly changing wildfire risk factors and forecasts, BPA canceled the event and restored power to the area.
While the interruption lasted less than 30 minutes, we understand that the short notice and sudden change in event status caused frustration and confusion among the impacted FEC members in Libby.
What is a Public Safety Power Shutoff?
A Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is a wildfire-prevention and community-safety measure where, during extreme conditions, a utility may proactively turn off electrical equipment if it determines that keeping it energized could pose an unacceptable risk of igniting a wildfire. A PSPS is intended as a last resort to protect communities, property, and first responders in extreme conditions.
In this case, BPA implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff on its transmission line that delivers electricity to the Libby area.
To learn more about BPA’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan, visit BPA Wildfire Mitigation Webpage – Bonneville Power Administration.
Why did members receive so little warning?
As your member-owned Co-op, our goal is to provide timely, accurate information, and we understand that the short notice was not adequate to allow our members time to prepare.
Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) decisions can change rapidly as utilities receive updated weather forecasts, field observations, and system information. That complexity does not change the impact on members or the need for timely communication, and we are working with BPA to understand and, wherever possible, improve PSPS coordination and notification procedures for future PSPS events.
Why was Libby affected when local conditions appeared calm?
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) owns and operates the transmission lines that supply electricity to much of the Northwest, including FEC’s service area. Electricity reaches the Co-op’s system in Libby via BPA’s interconnected transmission lines and facilities that span a wide geographic area, stretching far beyond the immediate community. BPA makes Public Safety Power Shutoff decisions based on its assessment of its broader transmission system. If BPA identifies sufficient wildfire ignition risk along an upstream portion of that transmission path, de-energizing the equipment can interrupt power to communities farther down the line, even when local weather conditions are calm.
What happens next?
Flathead Electric Cooperative will continue working closely with BPA to better understand its PSPS coordination procedures to help ensure we can provide our members with the most timely and reliable information possible if a similar situation develops in the future.
As always, we encourage our members to be prepared in case of unplanned power outages. We will continue to provide updated information to help our members better understand the potential impacts of Public Safety Power Shutoffs and how to prepare for unplanned interruptions, whether from a PSPS or another factor affecting the electric system. Learn more about how to prepare for unplanned power outages at Outage Preparation.
