Rocky Mountain Power District Operations Manager Brandon Anderson and Jona Whitesides with Rocky Mountain Power’s Corporate Public Relations Office visited the Evans Family Media studios for an interview on the recent power outages and why wildfire prevention efforts are needed. First, some rumors were dispelled as they stated that the outages have nothing to do with inadequate infrastructure, electric vehicles, or a power source problem. As had been shared, the outages are directly related to extra sensitive safety settings during the wildfire season. This is the first year these settings have been implemented and many members of the public, including business owners, have made it clear the outages have been difficult to handle. “I know we’ve had quite a lot of outages in the Basin and that it does impact people’s lives,” shared Whitesides. “As far as being too sensitive we are trying to strike that balance of having reliable power and also the safety of the system and the communities. We don’t want to look back and say we could have done more to prevent a large wildfire.” One thing he said they are encouraging their customers to do is treat the outages like they would any type of emergency or disaster and noted that customers with special medical needs can get a Doctor’s endorsement and register with Rocky Mountain Power. This can provide a discount as well as help in making a backup plan should they lose power. Johnson explained that the average outages are between 35 minutes to an hour long and they are working to keep the outages down in lower risk areas but noted that areas of high fuels will naturally be subject to higher sensitivity. Time was also spent during the interview to discuss the scheduled rate increases by 30 percent over the next 2 years. To listen to the entire interview, visit www.BasinNow.com and click on Public Affairs under the Community tab.
