El Paso Electric Closely Monitoring Arizona Wildfire
The raging Wallow Fire is inching closer to El Paso Electric’s transmission line in Arizona, threatening the supply of electricity in the El Paso and Las Cruces communities.
The utility announced Wednesday evening the fire was approximately 15 miles from EPE’s Springerville-Luna transmission line.
“In the event that the transmission lines are compromised or damaged as a result of fires or other threats, EPE’s capability to import power from Palo Verde may be reduced and as a result EPE may have to institute power curtailment/conservation measures. Some of these measures may include rolling blackouts,” stated a news release.
Utility representatives said they are prepared to get power from other sources, and are coordinating with other utilities in the event transmission lines are affected.
Most recently, El Paso Electric was forced to implement rolling blackouts when its generating stations failed due to a deep freeze in February. The lack of power also brought down El Paso Water Utility’s pumping stations and reservoirs, which led to water restrictions citywide.
Christina Montoya, El Paso Water Utilities spokeswoman, confirmed the water utility has been coordinating with El Paso Electric. Managers have been in discussions deciding their priorities and which equipment and pump stations should be spared of rolling blackouts. Montoya told ABC-7 EPWU employees are making sure their water tanks and reservoirs are at full capacity, too.
The City of Las Cruces is also monitoring the threat of blackouts and announced it would bring additional police and fire personnel should there be an increase in emergency-related calls.
The police department reminded drivers to treat an intersection without working traffic lights as if it were controlled by stop signs.
A news release stated, “the Utilities Department is arranging to rent portable generators to provide power to water wells, and will ask customers to conserve water to reduce the amount of electricity needed to power the wells.” The City of El Paso’s Environmental Services Department, which monitors the local air quality daily, reported the levels for ozone and carbon monoxide are within a good range, although advised caution for those with respiratory problems.
“For unusually sensitive people, they should consider reducing prolong or heavy exertion outdoors,” said Miguel Parra, who oversees the Air Quality program.
Parra maintained the haze blanketing El Paso is dust kicked up by dry, windy conditions and was not related to the Arizona wildfires.
The National Weather Service, however, indicated smoke from the Wallow Fire has spread across southern New Mexico and West Texas as it moves west, reducing visibility around Lordsburg and Silver city to one mile or less. An NWS advisory also indicated “with little change in the weather pattern expected, (residents should) expect visibilities to be reduced due to smoke over much of the region for the next couple of days.”
