The safety of the public and our employees is our number one priority. We’ve all seen the devastating impact that wildfires can have on communities. As part of our evolving wildfire safety practices, we’re introducing an additional measure, a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) policy to help reduce potential ignition sources when wildfire risk is deemed extremely high in an area.
During wildfire season, we monitor for elevated critical wildfire risk conditions like high temperatures, low humidity, strong winds and dry vegetation, and base decisions on industry expert data, weather forecasting and real-time information from crews in the field.
What is a Power Safety Power Shutoff?
A PSPS is a preventative safety measure where we temporarily turn off power in areas that have been identified as being at greatest risk for wildfires during periods of extreme wildfire risk. Power is only shut off when extreme conditions are present, and it’s always considered a last resort to help prevent wildfires by reducing potential ignition sources.
During wildfire season we continuously monitor for extreme wildfire risk conditions. If a PSPS event is likely, we will notify customers, affected communities and emergency partners in advance, when possible. Before restoring power, our crews patrol the lines to ensure it’s safe to turn the electricity back on.
When would a PSPS be activated?
Strong winds combined with dry ground conditions can increase wildfire threat. Where wildfire risk conditions are extreme, we may shut off power to keep you safe. We understand that you and your community rely on electricity, and the decision is not taken lightly. Our decisions are guided by careful monitoring of weather forecasts and real-time updates from our crews in the field. We're monitoring for a high fire weather index, combined with very strong winds, and consider these conditions with many other factors, when implementing a PSPS event.
- High temperatures
- Low humidity
- Strong winds
- Dry vegetation
Timeline
We understand that our customers and the communities we serve rely on electricity, and any power outage can be a concern. To help communities prepare for a PSPS event, we will provide as much advance warning as possible and provide updates throughout the outage by email, on social media and via Alertable.
Our wildfire safety measures are designed to safeguard you, and we’re committed to keeping you informed every step of the way and restoring power safely and quickly as possible. Just like being prepared during storm season, it’s important to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours. That means having a plan, supplies and a way to stay informed.
Phases of a PSPS event
Our commitment goes beyond providing energy—it’s personal. With hundreds of employees across B.C., in the Southern Interior, we are not just serving these communities—we are part of them. We live, work, and raise our families here, and we care deeply about the safety and well-being of our neighbours.
We’ll provide advance notice 48 to 72 hours before a potential PSPS event, when possible, and will continue to keep you informed throughout the event. Changing weather conditions may limit our ability to provide early warning, but we’re committed to giving you as much notice as we can.
Where would a PSPS be activated?
We've consulted with industry experts to help us identify which areas within our electric service territory have the highest wildfire risk, based on evidence-based factors such as proximity to wildfire-prone areas and weather conditions. The communities most likely to experience a PSPS event include communities within the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, including Midway, Greenwood, Beaverdell, Christian Valley, Westbridge, Rock Creek, Bridesville and Mount Baldy, and within the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, including Princeton, Hedley, Tulameen, Coalmont and Apex. There are additional rural communities and properties in these regions that could also experience a PSPS event, including west Keremeos.
As wildfire safety practices evolve, different power lines may be added or removed based on risk assessments.
Register as a vulnerable customer
If you or your family depend on power for medical needs, please reach out to our customer service team at 1-866-436-7847 to register as a vulnerable customer. In the event of a PSPS, we’ll take additional steps to reach out to registered vulnerable customers directly.