By Hannah Grover
East Mountains residents who receive electricity from the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) may see an increase in power outages going forward.
PNM announced on Feb. 17 plans to shut off electricity in areas with higher fire risks during high winds. These public safety power shutoffs are intended to reduce the chance that utility lines will spark wildfires.
“The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is our number one priority,” PNM President and CEO Don Tarry said in a news release. “PNM crews work year-around to reduce wildfire risk in our service area but in extreme weather conditions, public safety concerns may require that power be shut off to some customers living near high fire risk areas. We are urging customers to be prepared for that possibility.”
The utility plans to send emails, postcards and bill messages to customers who could be affected by public safety power shutoffs. These notices will advise the customers on how to prepare for a power outage.
PNM said in a news release that it will provide as much advance notice as possible before shutting off power to affected customers.
The East Mountains are among the areas listed as high fire risk places where public safety power shutoffs could occur. Other areas include:
- Clayton
- Cochiti Pueblo
- Las Vegas
- Mescalero Apache Nation
- Ruidoso
- Silver City
- Tesuque Pueblo
PNM customers in those areas will be automatically enrolled to receive urgent public safety power shutoff alerts, however, to make sure they receive those alerts, customers should update their contact details in their account at pnm.com or by calling 888-342-5766. Customers can also sign up by texting #ALERT to 78766 from the mobile phone number connected to their account.
The utility is also encouraging customers in those areas to build or restock emergency preparedness kits. These kits should include essential items such as medications, medical supplies, flashlights, batteries, non-perishable food, water, pet supplies and important documents.
Customers should also ensure that their cell phones or other battery-powered devices are fully charged during wildfire season and they should be familiar with how to use the manual release lever to open their garage door in case they need to leave the house. PNM further encourages people to keep at least half a tank of gas in their car because gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps.
Customers in areas with high fire risks who rely on medical equipment that requires electricity should consult with their doctor or health-care provider about how to best prepare for power outages. PNM further recommends customers with medical needs register with PNM’s LifeWatch.
The length of the power outage will be determined by factors such as how long the severe weather conditions persist, how many miles of lines PNM workers must patrol, the terrain and the extent of damage the weather conditions cause to infrastructure.
PNM plans to use social media, its website PNM.com and partnerships with local media to keep customers informed during these power outages. It is also partnering with local government agencies and first responders.
Public safety power shutoffs are becoming increasingly common as utilities seek to limit their liability in the wake of deadly wildfires. These shutoffs are currently implemented in California to reduce the chance that utility infrastructure will cause wildfires.The McBride Fire of 2022 was caused when a tree fell on a power line owned by PNM. The blaze killed two people and destroyed 200 homes in the Ruidoso area.