20241206News Release.pdf

Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad Litile,Governor
P.O. Box 83720. Boise, ID 83720-0074 Eric Anderson, President
Jdri R.Mammo* Jr,Cbmmissloner
Edward Lodge,Commissioner
Case No. PAC-E-24-09
Order No. 36405
Contact: Adam Rush
Office: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
NEWS RELEASE: Commission acknowledges eastern Idaho utility's wildfire mitigation plan.
BOISE (Dec. 6, 2024)—The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has acknowledged Rocky
Mountain Power's 2024-2026 Idaho Wildfire Mitigation Plan. It describes the utility's efforts to
mitigate the risk of wildfires by building, maintaining, and operating electrical infrastructure to
minimize the risk.
According to the plan, Rocky Mountain Power anticipates investing about $800,000 during the
next two years to increase its situational awareness. The investment will fund a meteorology
department and the construction of 35 weather stations in Idaho. The utility said the meteorology
department and the weather stations will allow it to generate a comprehensive weather forecast
and predict weather conditions for the next 96 hours.
The plan also described the introduction of Rocky Mountain Power's Idaho Public Safety Power
Shutoffs program. The utility started the program in 2023, and it allows Rocky Mountain Power
to temporarily and proactively de-energize power lines during extreme weather to prevent fires
from starting. The utility said it uses a Partner Safety Portal to communicate with safety partners,
and that the utility communicates with impacted customers through phone calls, texts, e-mails,
the Public Safety Power Shutoff webpage and a mobile app during power shutoff events.
Other subjects included in the plan are vegetation management, collaborating with other groups
to increase an understanding of best practices and technologies, and system hardening designed
to reduce wildfire risk. It is the first wildfire mitigation plan Rocky Mountain Power has filed
with the commission.
In its order acknowledging the plan, the commission directed the utility to develop a least-cost,
least-risk analysis to evaluate wildfire mitigation projects, file updated versions of the plan every
three calendar years, and conduct semi-annual pre-fire and post-fire season updates for the
commission, among other items.

The plan and the commission's order acknowledging it are available at:
puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7305.