Avista Utilities is adding a new strategy to it’s wildfire mitigation plan for the most extreme conditions. Beginning this year, Avista may turn off power in specific locations to help protect public safety. In a news release, the company calls the new approach a Public Safety Power Shutoff, or PSPS.
Shutoffs will only be considered when and where the risk of a fire is extreme, and customers will be notified prior to de-energizing.
Under the Public Safety Power Shutoff, the shutdowns could last from a few hours to a few days, and will be geographically isolated and designed to impact as few customers as possible.
Avista is also encouraging customers to prepare for potential outages by gathering items like flashlights, portable battery chargers and other supplies into an emergency kit and keeping a few days of nonperishable food and water on hand.
Avista is also planning to set up community resource centers where people can charge their electronic devices, fill water bottles and access information in instances where outages last more than a day.
