Governors' Wind Energy Coalition
Oregon Utility CEO Warns of Possible Power Cuts This Fire Season
Source: By Mark Chediak, Bloomberg • Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2021
Oregon’s largest electric utility is prepared to cut power in some areas to prevent wires from sparking fires in dry and windy conditions this summer.
Portland General Electric Co. is focused on safeguarding its grid to reduce wildfire risks and would only interrupt service to customers as a last resort, Chief Executive Officer Maria Pope said in an interview Friday.
“We focus much more on a daily basis on how we prevent having to do power-safety shut-offs,” Pope said at Bloomberg News headquarters in New York. “Should there ever be circumstances like we were faced with last year, or could be faced with this season given the drought conditions throughout the entire West, obviously shutting the power off is one of the tools we have.”