May is National Wildfire Awareness Month: Oregon utilities urge preparing outage kit, staying informed

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – To recognize National Wildfire Awareness Month, Portland General Electric, Pacific Power and Idaho Power are encouraging Oregonians to prepare for fire season.

Fire-weather conditions, such as severe drought combined with summer windstorms or active wildfires, can lead to safety-related power outages.

PGE, Pacific Power and Idaho Power continue to invest in and prepare their electric grids to deliver reliable power and operate safely in all seasons. Preparedness is a year-round effort, and everyone has a part to play. As electric providers, we partner with tribes and federal, state and local agencies to plan and prepare for the upcoming wildfire season.

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) will be reviewing 2023 wildfire mitigation plans for investor-owned electric providers during a public meeting on May 25.

"These plans demonstrate and allow the PUC to evaluate the utilities’ work to understand wildfire risk and adapt their systems and operations to increase the safety and resiliency of electricity supply," said Megan Decker, PUC Chair. "The work of the utilities is just part of the equation. All Oregonians have a role in preparing for and mitigating wildfires."

Resources are available to help every Oregonian get ready for wildfire season. At wildfire.oregon.gov, Oregonians can find tips on everything from staying informed about wildfire and wildfire-related outages to making a plan for evacuations to establishing defensible spaces that help slow the spread of wildfire.

Stay in the know

Here are a few steps you can take to make sure you receive up-to-date wildfire information:

Make an outage kit

Have a plan

Information, resources and checklists

About Portland General Electric Company

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to over 900,000 customers in 51 cities across the state of Oregon. For more than 130 years, Portland General Electric (PGE) has powered the advancement of society, delivering safe, affordable, reliable and increasingly clean energy. To deliver on its strategy and meet state targets, PGE and its approximately 3,000 employees committed to partnering with stakeholders to achieve at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from power served to customers by 2030 and 100% reduction by 2040. PGE customers set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. Additionally, for the fifth year in a row, PGE was recognized by the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index which highlights companies committed to creating a more equal and inclusive workplace. As a reflection of the company's commitment to the community it serves, in 2022, PGE employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated nearly $5.5 million and volunteered more than 18,000 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit portlandgeneral.com/newsroom.

About Pacific Power

Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, thermal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.

About Idaho Power

Idaho Power, headquartered in vibrant and fast-growing Boise, Idaho, has been a locally operated energy company since 1916. Today, it serves a 24,000-square-mile area in Idaho and Oregon. The company's goal to provide 100% clean energy by 2045 builds on its long history as a clean-energy leader that provides reliable service at affordable prices. With 17 low-cost hydroelectric projects at the core of its diverse energy mix, Idaho Power's residential, business and agricultural customers pay among the nation's lowest prices for electricity. Its 2,000 employees proudly serve more than 610,000 customers with a culture of safety first, integrity always and respect for all.

IDACORP Inc. (NYSE: IDA), Idaho Power's independent publicly traded parent company, is also headquartered in Boise, Idaho. To learn more, visit idahopower.com or idacorpinc.com.

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