It has been a frustrating June for Madras power customers. Since the month began, the city has experienced five separate power outages — some stemming from equipment problems at a local substation, and others from Pacific Power's controversial wildfire prevention strategy known as de-energized trips.
Pacific Power, the Oregon operating unit of PacifiCorp, held a public town hall in Madras on Wednesday, June 25 to address community concerns. The event came after Jefferson County leaders and local farmers went public with their frustration, saying the outages are causing serious financial harm.
What's Causing the Outages
According to PacifiCorp spokesman Simon Gutierrez, the outages fall into two categories. Some are unplanned shutoffs that occur automatically when equipment detects a potential ignition risk in high-fire conditions — the line is cut until crews can inspect and confirm it is safe to restore power. Others have been caused by equipment failures at a Madras substation, with some repairs already completed and others still in progress.
"We understand that any outage of power can be a hardship for customers and we're sympathetic to that," Gutierrez said. "What we're faced with is a time of elevated fire risk and extreme fire danger compared to years past."
Why PacifiCorp Is Under Scrutiny
The utility's fire-safety credibility has been damaged by past events. PacifiCorp was blamed for the catastrophic 2020 Labor Day fires that burned across thousands of acres of National Forest land in Oregon, with investigators citing poorly maintained equipment as a cause. The company recently settled a nearly $600 million lawsuit related to those fires.
That history makes it harder for some Madras residents to accept the current outages as simply the cost of doing business — particularly farmers whose irrigation systems, refrigeration, and livestock operations depend on uninterrupted electricity during the summer growing and fire season.
Community Response
Jefferson County leaders have been vocal. Local officials have called on Pacific Power to invest more aggressively in grid hardening — the process of upgrading equipment and lines so that fire-prevention shutoffs become less frequent and less disruptive.
PacifiCorp said it has been making upgrades to its system, adding equipment that will reduce the frequency of de-energization events. The company said it remains committed to working with the Madras community on long-term solutions.
What Customers Can Do
Pacific Power customers in Jefferson County can sign up for outage alerts at pacificpower.net. The company also offers a medical baseline program for customers who rely on powered medical equipment. Those who believe they have suffered financial losses from outages may contact Pacific Power's customer service line to discuss options.
With extreme fire danger declared across Central Oregon federal lands and temperatures forecast to remain high through the Fourth of July weekend, more de-energization events may occur this summer. Residents are encouraged to have a plan for extended outages, including backup power for critical systems.