NV Energy announces new wildfire emergency response plan to cut power

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- NV Energy is increasing its response to wildfires with a plan to cut power when an active wildfire threatens equipment, according to a Tuesday news release.

An "emergency de-energization of the power lines" will occur as a safeguard, avoiding additional fire risks and protecting first responders.

Customers could lose their power without warning in such an emergency, NV Energy said. Outages will vary based on the size, direction and location of a wildfire, the company said. "Due to the rapid response for an emergency de-energization, it may not be possible to send an advance notification to customers," the news release said.

In cases like that, customers can monitor the outage on their smart phone using NV Energy's outage map.

"When an emergency de-energization occurs, NV Energy's online outage maps will be updated, and customers will receive outage notifications based on their communication preferences. NV Energy will provide updates on the emergency de-energization and potential restoration times," the company said.

NV Energy will use a multi-point checklist to determine whether it is safe to restore power or determine the need to delay restoration to allow first responders to respond to wildfire conditions safely.