After several power outages hit thousands of residents over the past few weeks, many people are frustrated. Long outages during peak summer heat can put vulnerable residents at risk, disrupt daily routines, and spoil food as refrigerators and freezers sit without power. According to Simon Gutierrez, a spokesperson from Pacific Power, Bend and Redmond experienced 11 outages between May 1 and July 8. Eight of these outages were “Enhanced Safety Settings,” and one was an “Emergency De-energization.”
How shutoffs are decided
During wildfire season, power companies adjust their equipment to be extra
responsive, which makes it more sensitive to disruptions. Companies like Pacific Power and Central Electric Cooperative say proactive shutoffs are key to preventing electrical systems from causing wildfires in areas that are at risk.
Enhanced Safety Settings and Public Safety Power Shutoffs both aim to protect communities by cutting off power to areas that might be at risk of sparking a wildfire, but they work a bit differently. Enhanced Safety Settings are activated right away by environmental conditions, such as high winds or fallen trees.
According to Gutierrez, “Enhanced safety settings greatly reduce the likelihood that a spark will be emitted when there is interference with a power line.” Public Safety Power Shutoffs, on the other hand, are planned interruptions meant to prevent electrical equipment from sparking a wildfire.
Understanding selective power outages
This selective nature of outages helps explain why only certain parts of neighborhoods can lose power at times. Gutierrez says it comes down to the electrical grid, which is divided into different circuits serving various groups of customers. He notes, “We could have a situation where a tree branch hits a line on one circuit and causes an outage, but it’s only affecting that specific circuit. Other homes won’t lose power unless they’re on that same circuit.” For instance, he says, “I live in Portland, and there have been times when my neighbor right across the street loses power but I don’t — just because we’re on different circuits.”
When a shutoff is necessary, power companies are supposed to notify customers directly, using real-time data for as much accuracy as possible.
Last Thursday, Pacific Power informed nearly 3,000 residents on Bend’s west side that they would be losing power, citing “enhanced safety settings.” But many folks were confused about why that happened. Though the weather was hot, the lack of winds in the area didn’t seem to be a factor in the almost two-hour shutoff. Gutierrez explained, “While the circuit was on enhanced safety settings, the outage was actually due to an equipment issue.”
Gutierrez points out that the systems are also sensitive: “It’s hard to explain just how sensitive these settings are, but something like contact from a bird, a branch or other debris can cause a fault, which leads to an outage.”
Pacific Gas and Electric explains that this high sensitivity means field crews must inspect the entire circuit and make any necessary repairs before turning the power back on.
How long does it take to restore power?
The amount of time it takes to restore power depends on the season and conditions. While crews can often get power back on before winter storms fully pass, summer outages are trickier. During extreme summer winds, utility crews have to wait for conditions to calm down before they can safely inspect lines for damage. Much of this is done during daylight hours. Pacific Power explains that after inspection and possible repairs, power lines are cleared to be restored. The time between turning the power off and back on can vary according to this process, which sometimes means long waits for customers. According to Central Electric Cooperative’s website, “While increased outages and their length of time can be inconvenient, the trade-off helps ensure public safety in high-risk areas.”
[Correction: In the first paragraph of the 7/14 issue of this story, we stated that one of the outages in the Bend and Redmond area was a “Public Safety Power Shutoff.” Instead, it was due to an “emergency de-energization.” The Source regrets this error.]
This article appears in Source Weekly July 10, 2025.
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