{"669210":{"#nid":"669210","#data":{"type":"external_news","title":"Shutting off power to reduce wildfire risk on windy days isn\u2019t a simple decision \u2013 an energy expert explains the trade-offs electric utilities face","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMaui County is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/b3\/da\/139f2c7445d6b3e512b528b56252\/6932642409.pdf\u0022\u003Esuing Hawaiian Electric\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mauicounty.gov\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=12759\u0022\u003Eclaiming the utility was negligent\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for not shutting off power as strong winds hit the island in the hours before the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/mauis-deadly-wildfires-burn-through-lahaina-its-a-reminder-of-the-growing-risk-to-communities-that-once-seemed-safe-211317\u0022\u003Ecity of Lahaina burned\u003C\/a\u003E. While the cause of the devastating Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire is still under investigation, forecasters had\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/Maui_EMA\/status\/1688282225983598592\u0022\u003Ewarned that powerful winds\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;were expected, and West Maui had exceptionally dry conditions that put it at high risk for wildfires.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EIn many cases, however, deciding to shut off power isn\u2019t as simple is as it might sound. We asked\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/timothy-charles-lieuwen\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech, about the risks and trade-offs utilities have to weigh in deciding how to respond during fire-risk conditions.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch2\u003EWhy are utilities so often suspected in fires?\u003C\/h2\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are a lot of ways that utility lines, particularly high-voltage lines, can spark fires.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf tree branches are too close to the lines, electricity can arc between the line and the tree. Old equipment can set off sparks. If the weather gets really hot, power lines can sag and touch dry grass or trees. If there\u2019s a lot of wind, that can push a power line into tree branches or damage equipment.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERead more at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/shutting-off-power-to-reduce-wildfire-risk-on-windy-days-isnt-a-simple-decision-an-energy-expert-explains-the-trade-offs-electric-utilities-face-212323\u0022\u003EThe Conversation Newstory Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMaui County is\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/npr.brightspotcdn.com\/b3\/da\/139f2c7445d6b3e512b528b56252\/6932642409.pdf\u0022\u003Esuing Hawaiian Electric\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mauicounty.gov\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=12759\u0022\u003Eclaiming the utility was negligent\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for not shutting off power as strong winds hit the island in the hours before the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/mauis-deadly-wildfires-burn-through-lahaina-its-a-reminder-of-the-growing-risk-to-communities-that-once-seemed-safe-211317\u0022\u003Ecity of Lahaina burned\u003C\/a\u003E. While the cause of the devastating Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire is still under investigation, forecasters had\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/Maui_EMA\/status\/1688282225983598592\u0022\u003Ewarned that powerful winds\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;were expected, and West Maui had exceptionally dry conditions that put it at high risk for wildfires.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn many cases, however, deciding to shut off power isn\u2019t as simple is as it might sound. We asked\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/timothy-charles-lieuwen\u0022\u003ETim Lieuwen\u003C\/a\u003E, executive director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/energy\u0022\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at Georgia Tech, about the risks and trade-offs utilities have to weigh in deciding how to respond during fire-risk conditions.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ERead more at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/theconversation.com\/shutting-off-power-to-reduce-wildfire-risk-on-windy-days-isnt-a-simple-decision-an-energy-expert-explains-the-trade-offs-electric-utilities-face-212323\u0022\u003EThe Conversation Newstory Page\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"basic_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"36413","created_gmt":"2023-08-28 16:50:48","changed_gmt":"2023-08-28 17:28:50","author":"pdevarajan3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","publication":"The Conversation ","field_article_url":"","publication_url":"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/shutting-off-power-to-reduce-wildfire-risk-on-windy-days-isnt-a-simple-decision-an-energy-expert-explains-the-trade-offs-electric-utilities-face-212323","dateline":{"date":"2023-08-28T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-08-28T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671504":{"id":"671504","type":"image","title":"Tim-The Conversation-Image2.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe utility Pacific Gas \u0026amp; Electric acknowledged responsibility for equipment that started the deadly 2018 blaze that burned through Paradise, Calif.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/fallen-power-line-is-seen-on-top-of-burnt-out-vehicles-on-news-photo\/1060096498\u0022\u003EJosh Edelson\/AFP via Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1693241661","gmt_created":"2023-08-28 16:54:21","changed":"1693241661","gmt_changed":"2023-08-28 16:54:21","alt":"The utility Pacific Gas \u0026 Electric acknowledged responsibility for equipment that started the deadly 2018 blaze that burned through Paradise, Calif. Josh Edelson\/AFP via Getty Images","file":{"fid":"254577","name":"Tim-The Conversation-Image2.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/28\/Tim-The%20Conversation-Image2.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/28\/Tim-The%20Conversation-Image2.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":457762,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/28\/Tim-The%20Conversation-Image2.jpeg?itok=nLBq8dlQ"}},"671505":{"id":"671505","type":"image","title":"Tim-The Conversation-Image3.jpeg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHigh-voltage power lines, like this one in North Cascades National Park in Washington state, often cross rugged terrain in areas in which it isn\u2019t easy to bury a power line, or for firefighters to reach.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/photo\/diablo-lake-trail-north-cascades-national-park-royalty-free-image\/1546932853\u0022\u003EPhilippe Gerber\/Moment via Getty Images\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1693241710","gmt_created":"2023-08-28 16:55:10","changed":"1693241710","gmt_changed":"2023-08-28 16:55:10","alt":"High-voltage power lines, like this one in North Cascades National Park in Washington state, often cross rugged terrain in areas in which it isn\u2019t easy to bury a power line, or for firefighters to reach. Philippe Gerber\/Moment via Getty Images","file":{"fid":"254578","name":"Tim-The Conversation-Image3.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/28\/Tim-The%20Conversation-Image3.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/28\/Tim-The%20Conversation-Image3.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":660070,"path_740":"http:\/\/tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/28\/Tim-The%20Conversation-Image3.jpeg?itok=477Q7OuQ"}}},"media_ids":["671504","671505"],"groups":[{"id":"367481","name":"SEI Energy"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"186858","name":"go-sei"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}