MPE Adjusts System Settings to Reduce Wildfire Risk
National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warning for counties in MPE’s service territory
Mountain Parks Electric (MPE) will place its electric distribution system on higher-sensitivity settings, effective 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21, as a wildfire-mitigation measure in response to the National Weather Service issuing a Red Flag Warning for counties in MPE’s service territory.
When areas of MPE’s system are under a Red Flag Warning, MPE uses its Hot Line Tag setting. These settings are sensitive enough that MPE also uses them to protect crews working on energized lines. When a fault is detected—such as a tree limb contacting a power line—power shuts off almost instantly rather than attempting to automatically re-energize. When higher-sensitivity fire protection settings are active, linemen must physically patrol the affected line before power can be restored. This helps ensure the hazard has been cleared and that re-energizing will not recreate the risk. Because MPE’s service territory is large and rural, these patrols can take time, but they are critical for public and firefighter safety.
“We know how frustrating it is when power goes out or blinks at homes and businesses. Sometimes, for the safety of our families and livelihoods, the best thing is for the power to be off,” said Adam Paulson, Vice President of Operations. “We trust these system settings for the safety of our linemen when they are working on energized lines, and we trust them for the safety of our communities when the threat of wildfires is high.”
Fire protection settings are used across the electric industry to reduce the chance that a line issue could spark a wildfire. While MPE’s system is designed to stay on through severe conditions, these settings do the opposite: they cut power almost instantly at the first contact or fault on a power line. MPE invests significant time and planning into these settings to help prevent the need for public safety power shutoffs (PSPS), which have created challenges for utility customers along the Front Range.
After one of the warmest and driest winters on record, conditions across our region may contribute to a severe wildfire season. In preparation, MPE has been taking proactive steps for months to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen system reliability. MPE’s Engineering and Operations teams have strengthened equipment that helps detect and isolate problems on the system. Staff also developed a more robust plan that reaches deeper into the distribution network. Additional protective devices have been added, improving how accurately we can pinpoint where an issue occurs.
In simple terms, more equipment can now “see” what’s happening on the line and respond quickly when something goes wrong. This allows the system to break into smaller sections during an outage. As a result, when a fault occurs (such as a tree limb blowing into a power line), it’s more likely to be contained to that area—reducing how many members lose power and helping crews restore service faster. Note: if an outage occurs while the system is on fire protection settings, linemen must patrol the entire affected circuit or line before they can re-energize it. Restoring power before the fault is located would negate the purpose of the settings.
For power outage updates, MPE’s outage map is updated automatically and is available at https://ebill.mpei.com/maps/OutageWebMap/ or by using the Outage Map link at www.MPEI.com/OUTAGE. Additional information regarding MPE’s wildfire mitigation and higher sensitivity settings are also available on this webpage.
With MPE’s outage management system software and AMI metering system, MPE can detect and respond to most outages immediately. During outages, MPE’s phone system can become overloaded. Please know MPE works to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. If your power has not been restored within a couple of hours, please try calling again at 970-887-3378, which is available 24/7.
The SmartHub app/web portal can also be used to report outages. If you have not already, please consider updating your contact information and registering for outage alerts in SmartHub by clicking the “My Account” button at the top of the www.mpei.com homepage. Through your SmartHub account, you can receive outage and other notifications, report outages, and get updates.