Colorado Springs Utilities has announced the installation of new equipment on power poles as part of its Wildfire Mitigation Plan. The initiative is designed to improve wildfire prevention and ensure the reliability of the electrical system across its service area.
The new hardware allows operators to remotely adjust a recloser’s settings from the control center. Depending on the location, the system will use technologies such as radio, cellular, fiber, or satellite for communication. This setup provides real-time data even from remote parts of the network.
A recloser acts like a smart circuit breaker. Typically, when it detects a fault—such as a tree branch touching a line—it temporarily shuts off power and then attempts to restore it automatically. However, during high-wind or “red flag” weather events, Colorado Springs Utilities can activate Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS).
“Our operators can remotely adjust the recloser’s settings to be more sensitive. If a fault occurs, the recloser will not attempt to restore power, preventing a persistent electrical arc from forming. This is a deliberate choice to prioritize community safety and minimize the risk of a catastrophic wildfire, rather than to restore power immediately,” according to Colorado Springs Utilities.
While these measures may result in temporary outages for customers during severe weather conditions, officials emphasize that this approach is critical for community protection. The technology enables rapid restoration of normal service once weather risks subside.
“This intelligent, adaptive system is a significant step forward in our efforts to build a more resilient and responsive electrical grid for our entire community,” stated Colorado Springs Utilities.
The utility encourages residents interested in further details about these safety measures and ongoing improvements to review their full Wildfire Mitigation Plan.
