November 21, 9:20 a.m.:

Liberty may implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) for THESE AREAS (Markleeville, Woodfords, Desolation Hotel (Hope Valley), Topaz, Coleville, and Walker customers) due to extreme weather conditions that increase the risk of a potential wildfire on or about Friday, November 22, 2024, at about 5 a.m. The power shutoff could last more than 24 hours.  

Customers are encouraged to visit our Community Resource Centers from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. at the Woodfords Community Center, 96 Washoe Blvd, Markleeville, CA, or at the Walker Community Center, 442 Mule Deer Drive, Walker, CA, if they are unable to secure necessary alternative power. 

What Do I Need to Know?

• Power is expected to be shut off on or about Friday, November 22, 2024, at about 5 a.m. 
• Predicted weather conditions warrant a PSPS forecasted for the aforementioned areas, date, and time. 
• Approximately 1,490 customers will be impacted. 
• Public safety partners were contacted on Thursday, November 21 and made aware of medically sensitive customers who will be impacted by the PSPS. 
• Two Community Resource Centers (CRC) are being activated. The CRCs will remain open during the event between the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the de-energization event to provide customers with resources. 
• Customers who require power to operate life-essential medical equipment are strongly encouraged to visit our Community Resource Center from 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. at the Woodfords Community Center, 96 Washoe Blvd, Markleeville, CA, or at the Walker Community Center, 442 Mule Deer Drive, Walker, CA if they are unable to secure necessary alternative power.
• For additional information and real-time updates, please follow us on Facebook (@LibertyUtilitiesLT) and X (@LibertyUtil_CA) 

When Will Power Be Restored?

Liberty will begin the process to restore power when weather conditions retreat below the aforementioned safety thresholds. The restoration process includes conducting safety inspections on power lines and electric infrastructure throughout the impacted communities, an essential action that must be completed prior to lifting the PSPS and restoring power. The power shutoff could last more than 24 hours. Thank you for your patience. We will provide additional updates as they become available.

About Public Safety Power Shutoffs

A public safety power shutoff (PSPS) is a safety procedure utilized by electric utilities to proactively turn off power when and where weather conditions create a high wildfire risk. The practice of de-energization, which is becoming more and more frequent, is supported by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) as a safety best practice.

In partnership with fire weather experts, Liberty monitors real-time weather data and forecasts and regularly tests fuel moisture during the fire season. If it is determined that the forecasted conditions meet or exceed safety thresholds, Liberty will initiate a PSPS.

Safety Thresholds:

• The Energy Release Component (measures dry fuel conditions) exceeds 92nd percentile
• Wind gusts exceed 40 miles per hour
• Fosberg Fire Weather Index (measures speed of potential fire) exceeds 50

In the event that a PSPS is a possibility, Liberty will attempt to contact customers through calls, texts, and emails using contact information on file. Customers should keep their contact information up-to-date and follow Liberty on Facebook and Twitter to receive timely PSPS updates.

What Other Wildfire Mitigation Efforts Does Liberty Have in Place to Protect Our Community?

Catastrophic wildfires have become all too common in California. Due to the dense vegetation and dry brush that characterize much of our landscape, the Lake Tahoe Basin and surrounding forested areas have been designated either "High" or "Very High" Fire Hazard Severity Zones by CAL FIRE.

Liberty is taking steps to mitigate the risk of wildfires in the communities we serve. Outlined below are the key components of our Wildfire Mitigation Plan.

View Mitigation Plan

Infrastructure Hardening

Infrastructure hardening is an ongoing system infrastructure improvement and replacement process aimed at lowering the potential of fires sparked by electric infrastructure. Over the next several years, Liberty will conduct the following improvements to support this process:

• Install covered conductors
• Replace conventional fuses with limiting fuses
• Test and replace aging poles
• Underground sections of the grid
• Remove tree attachments (electrical infrastructure attached to trees)
• Decommission the old wood structure Brockway Substation and replace with a new modern substation
• Complete system audit (inspect 100% of all poles and infrastructure in the system)

Vegetation Management

Liberty crews are deployed year-round throughout the region to inspect trees and vegetation in the vicinity of power lines. In compliance with state law and safety best practices, Liberty will trim or remove trees or branches that have grown too close to power lines in order to mitigate wildfire risk.

When trees are identified for trimming, crews are instructed to prune branches and vegetation back to a minimum of 12 feet from the high voltage power lines to maintain adequate clearance over the maintenance cycle period. Crews will additionally identify trees for removal that are dead, diseased, or structurally unsound, despite being within the acceptable clearance zone, if they have the potential to fall on power lines.

Customers should never attempt to conduct the tree trimming activities themselves, due to the risk of coming into contact with power lines during the process.

Liberty offers complimentary tree-trimming services to customers who believe a tree or branch may be hazardous to nearby electric infrastructure. If you spot a tree or branch you feel may be a hazard, please call us at 530-546-1787.