VIDEO: Wildfires in Oregon have been especially destructive the past several years. Climate change and record heat are part of the equation, and so are power companies. On Wednesday, Portland General Electric talked about its plans to limit the risk moving forward.
At PGE's Sherwood training center, new hire apprentices were out working the lines, learning the trade, while inside, leaders of PGE's efforts to manage its grid through wildfire season explained: “Our wildfire mitigation plan is really to address, to protect people, property and their natural environment,” said Kevin Putnam, Sr. Director of Compliance and Utility Operations.
But there is also a lot at stake for the major electric utility. A lot of its transmission lines run right through land at risk of burning. So its equipment and ability to deliver power are in jeopardy in a wildfire.