Over the past several months, many Ivins residents have voiced concerns about repeated power outages. In response, I contacted the Utah Public Service Commission on July 16, requesting detailed outage data and explanations from Rocky Mountain Power (RMP). Commissioner John Harvey responded within two hours and the Commission communicated the following message to RMP:
“The PSC received the email below from Ivins City and we feel the request is legitimate. Based on past experience (outage reports to DPU), we know that Rocky Mountain Power monitors the circuits individually. The commissioners would like Rocky Mountain Power to respond to the Ivins City Council member, Mr. Mike Scott, providing the comparison information he seeks. If possible please respond within two weeks but no later than 30 days. Please copy us at psc@utah.gov on the response.”
Two days later, Michele Beck, Director of the Office of Consumer Services, reached out as well, expressing a particular interest in how newer safety protocols, including Enhanced Safety Settings (ESS) and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), are being applied, and whether they might be contributing to the number of outages.
Yesterday, the Mayor, our Public Works Director, City Attorney, and two members of the City Council (Lance and I) met with RMP’s president, Dick Garlish, and seven members of his senior leadership team at City Hall. It was a productive discussion, and instead of simply sending me the outage data I had requested, they brought it with them, walked us through the details, and answered our questions on the spot. That gave us a much clearer picture of what’s been causing Ivins’ outages and what they are doing to solve the problem.
Except for one recent outage caused by a vehicle accident, the others were linked to ESS protocols, which automatically shut off power when the system detects a risk. The ESS settings that had been triggering multiple outages were adjusted a few weeks ago. According to RMP, those particular issues should now be resolved. ESS protocols are a newer safety strategy with significant fire-prevention benefits but fine-tuning them can be a bit of a trial-and-error process.
We also discussed investments to improve reliability in our area, as well as the need for better communication going forward, both with City leadership and directly with residents, and having a direct point of contact for ongoing coordination.
We left the meeting with a clear “to-do” list for RMP and a shared commitment to address outage causes and strengthen communication. With a common goal of making concrete improvements, this meeting was a positive step forward, giving us better information about the issues, confirmation that some problems have been fixed, and a framework for improvements still to come.
Here is information about RMPs wildfire practices:
- Wildfire Safety and Prevention Infographic
- How To Prepare for Power Outages
- Enhanced Safety Settings Explainer Video
- Reducing Wildfire Risk Video
Also, if you experience damage to your appliances because of an outage, you can submit a claim to RMP customer service at 1-888-221-7070.
I’ll continue to share updates as we receive more information and see progress on the commitments made in the meeting.
Also see my initial article, Power Outages in Ivins, posted on July 16th.