The Wallow Fire in Arizona is now more than 50 percent contained. However, over the weekend, high winds moved the fire closer to El Paso Electric’s 345 kV transmission line near Springerville, Arizona. It is now 13 miles away.

El Paso Electric continues to keep a close watch on the fire that is approximately 1 mile from a transmission line owned by Tucson Electric Power (TEP). Because the transmission system is interconnected with EPE’s transmission lines in Arizona, the fire’s proximity to the TEP lines may impact El Paso Electric operations.

EPE continues to take preventive measures, including alternative routes if our current transmission paths become impaired. In addition, El Paso Electric appreciates the cooperation it has received from other utilities and its customers as we address these unprecedented fires.

Tucson Electric Power reported yesterday morning that the fire is threatening two 345-kV transmission lines that carry energy from remote power plants to Tucson. The lines run from north to south through the Apache National Forest, a few miles east of the Arizona-New Mexico line.

The fire did not appear to be advancing any closer to TEP's transmission lines amid calm weather yesterday. The fire's eastern front had burned to within a mile or so of the lines over the weekend, but the flames now appear to have died down in the area, and smoke is light.

Further south, the fire continues to advance northwest along the Blue River toward New Mexico. Thick forest and difficult terrain make firefighting difficult in the area, which remains more than 10 miles away from TEP's lines.

While TEP's lattice steel transmission towers would not be expected to burn in a forest fire, thick, billowing smoke from the fire could cause the lines to short circuit. TEP maintains reduced vegetation around the towers to protect the lines, but the risk of a short circuit remains.

The two "lines" — each of which includes six separate conductors — typically deliver energy from units at the Springerville and San Juan Generating Stations to Tucson. TEP is prepared to replace that power with the output of local generating plants and other resources if the lines trip offline.

No Immediate Outages

TEP expects to have access to enough energy to maintain service for customers in the event the Wallow Fire forces the two transmission lines to shut down. With those lines out of service, though, TEP would be more vulnerable to other unanticipated problems. For example, the failure of another transmission line or power plant under such conditions could lead to service interruptions.

TEP has prepared extensively for such unlikely contingencies. In the event of a sudden energy shortage, our systems are designed to maintain service for police, firefighters, hospitals and other critical providers while interrupting power to enough customers to match demand with the available resources. If an energy shortage persists or is anticipated, TEP would urge customers to conserve energy and, if necessary, schedule brief, rotating interruptions for customers.

The Wallow Fire is not expected to reach TEP's Springerville Generating Station, which sits 12 miles northeast of Springerville in remote, high-desert grasslands. Many of the plant's employees were affected by recent evacuations of the White Mountain communities that once stood in the fire's path, but local officials have since allowed most area residents to return to their homes.