The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is asking for public input regarding the recent Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) carried out by Black Hills Energy on February 17. The shutoff affected customers in Pueblo, Crowley, Otero, and Fremont counties. In addition, the area of Westcliffe has been placed under a “PSPS Watch” by Black Hills.
A PSPS is a temporary power outage initiated by electric utilities to lower wildfire risk during periods of dangerous weather conditions. These outages are used when factors such as strong winds, low humidity, and dry conditions increase the likelihood of wildfires. While intended to prevent utility equipment from starting fires, these measures can have considerable effects on customers.
The PUC is developing new rules concerning Public Safety Power Shutoffs and wants feedback from a range of stakeholders including residents, nonprofits, local governments, and emergency managers. According to the commission, it has already received thousands of comments related to previous PSPS events conducted by Xcel Energy in December and January.
To participate in the feedback process, individuals can use several methods: submit comments through the PUC’s online Public Safety Power Shutoff feedback tool; email comments to dora_puc_comments@state.co.us; mail them to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission at 1560 Broadway, Suite 250, Denver, CO 80202; or call (303) 869-3490 for oral comments in English or Spanish. When submitting input, participants are asked to reference Proceeding No 26M-0037E.
Further information about Black Hills Energy’s PSPS activities can be found on their Public Safety Power Shutoff webpage and Outages webpage. Details about the PUC’s rulemaking process are available on its website, where users should also refer to Proceeding No. 26M-0037E when searching E-Filings.
“While these shutoffs protect communities from catastrophic fires, they can significantly impact customers,” stated the PUC.
