Reducing the risk of wildfire is essential to Morgan County REA’s operational practices. MCREA’s existing programs and procedures, as well as the incorporation of emerging technologies, are intended to manage and reduce the risk of utility infrastructure becoming an origin or contributing factor for wildfire.
Our Service Area
Morgan County REA maintains 2,938 miles of power lines across six different counties in northeastern Colorado, approximately 3,500 square miles.
The Risk
In recent years, wildfires have become a serious threat to Colorado--not only for the mountain ranges and forests, but here on the plains as well. Warmer temperatures, prolonged drought, and high winds create dangerous conditions for fire to ignite.
This is why Morgan County REA has implemented a wildfire mitigation plan, designed to greatly reduce the chance of wildfires in our service area. This plan includes preventive measures and strategic operating procedures intended to minimize that risk.
To help guide our efforts, we utilize data and maps from the Colorado State Forest Service to evaluate wildfire risk across our service territory.
MCREA continues to update and advance our wildfire mitigation plan, as this initiative remains a top priority for electric utilities across the country.
Preventive Measures
Our team conducts routine inspections and maintenance throughout our system. This includes scheduled line patrols, regular substation inspections, and pole testing across our territory. Any identified issues are prioritized and repaired as soon as possible.
We work closely with our contractors to manage vegetation near our lines. If a tree or any other vegetation is within 10 feet of our lines and equipment, we will trim it to prevent contact with energized lines.
If a member sees a vegetation hazard, we encourage them to call our office or submit a tree trimming ticket, and MCREA will trim the tree, free of charge.
MCREA is always working to reduce wildfire risk through improvements to our infrastructure. This includes:
- adjusting pole spacing and line design to reduce conductors clashing during high winds
- upgrading conductors
- constructing underground power lines where feasible
- implementing wildlife protections and deterrent systems
Reclosers
To keep our system running efficiently, we use devices called reclosers. Reclosers are advanced circuit breakers that prevent outages when there is line interference, perhaps in the case of lightning or high winds. These work by quickly opening to clear electrical faults, then automatically closing to restore power. Based on the conditions, we can adjust the settings of these devices to reduce wildfire risk.
SCADA
We utilize Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software to monitor and maintain our system remotely. Using SCADA, we can quickly activate safety settings. SCADA also enables us to pinpoint issues along our lines more efficiently, greatly assisting in outage response and restoral.
Risk Mitigation Protocols
During periods of elevated wildfire risk, Morgan County REA takes extra caution and activates our Risk Mitigation Protocols (RMPs). These enhanced safety settings are how MCREA makes every effort to reduce the risk of wildfires igniting in our service area.
MCREA may activate RMPs based on:
- Red Flag Warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS)
- forecasted or sustained high winds
- low humidity
- fuel conditions and drought indicators
- real-time field observations and system operating conditions
Morgan County REA's Risk Mitigation Protocols (RMPs) can include one or more of the following:
- Modified Protection Settings: The reclosers that typically restore power automatically after an interference on a line are set to "non-reclose" or "one-shot" mode. If tripped, these devices will remain open and power will be cut off for that entire section of line. We will not re-energize that section until our team has been able to visually inspect it. When necessary, power lines may be de-energized for public safety.
- Work Practices: Our team increases inspections and system monitoring. Non-essential work on energized power lines is delayed, and personnel and equipment are strategically staged across our territory. Safety remains MCREA's top priority, and crews are careful while navigating terrain with our vehicles and equipment.
- Enhanced Communications: MCREA closely monitors local emergency communications, in addition to outage reports from our members. In some emergencies, power needs to be shut off for first responders to work safely, and staying in the loop helps MCREA to dispatch linemen as fast as possible to those locations.
What You Can Do To Help
- If you notice damaged poles, power lines or other MCREA equipment on your property or others, call our office at 970-867-5688, and we will fix issues as soon as possible. NEVER GO NEAR A DOWNED POWERLINE.
- If you see trees or other vegetation growing too close to our lines, please report the hazard by calling our office or submit a tree trimming ticket. NEVER ATTEMPT TO TRIM VEGETATION NEAR POWER LINES.
- Always heed to Red Flag Warnings from the National Weather Service. Avoiding outdoor burning and any activity that could ignite a fire.
Our Risk Mitigation Protocols are critical to helping reduce the chance of wildfires in our service area. However, members may experience longer, more frequent outages due to the enhanced safety settings put in place for our system.
Morgan County REA genuinely appreciates our members' understanding as we work to deliver safe, reliable power—while also safeguarding the communities we call home.