20260319News Release.pdf

Idaho Public Utilities Commission Brad Littte,Governor
P.O. Box 83720. Boise. ID 83720-0074 Edward Lodge, Resident
John R.Hamnwnd, Jr.,Commissioner
Dayn Hardie,Commissioner
Case No. C10-E-26-01
Order No. 36963
Contact:Adam Rush
Office: [phone]
E-mail Address: [e-mail]
NEWS RELEASE: Northern Idaho electric utility files application seeking approval of wildfire
mitigation plan.
BOISE (March 19,2026)—Northern Lights,Inc. has filed an application with the Idaho Public
Utilities Commission seeking approval of the utility's 2026-2028 wildfire mitigation plan
(WMP). The plan offers information on work the utility is doing to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Electric utilities file the plans with the Commission pursuant to the Wildfire Standard of Care
Act(WSCA). The WSCA requires the Commission to annually approve WMPs for investor-
owned electric utilities. Under the WSCA, if a wildfire results in a lawsuit against an electric
utility,there is a presumption the utility acted without negligence if it reasonably implemented a
Commission-approved WMP. Municipal and cooperative electric utilities, which are not
regulated by the Commission, may voluntarily submit plans for the Commission's review.
Each utility's WMP includes identifying areas where the utility has infrastructure or equipment
that it considers may be subject to heightened wildfire risk at the time the WMP is finalized by
the utility, actions and programs the utility will take to reduce wildfire risk, community outreach
and public awareness efforts the utility will use before, during and after wildfire season to inform
the public of relevant wildfire risk as well as efforts to notify the public of wildfire-related
outages, among other items.
Northern Lights said its WMP addresses the unique features of its service territory, such as
topography, weather, infrastructure, grid configuration and areas most prone to wildfire risks.
The plan includes information on the maintenance of the utility's transmission and distribution
assets as well as the management of vegetation, among other items.
Commission staff,Northern Lights and intervenors to the case will start the process of creating a
record that, once completed, will be submitted to the Commission for its consideration.
Intervenors are allowed to participate in the proceedings for applications filed with the
Commission.
Additional information on Northern Lights'WMP is available at:
puc.idaho.gov/case/Details/7702.