Only eight of 160 utility companies that operate in fire-prone areas of Texas have complied with a law that helps mitigate wildfires, lawmakers recently learned.
asserted
lawmakers → operate → wildfires
The revelation comes on the heels of a chaotic wildfire season that has continued through the summer.
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that → come → summer
Lawmakers learned about the slow progress last week during a House State Affairs committee hearing, led by Rep. Ken King, who led the charge on the new law last year.
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who → learn → law
The law under House Bill 145 requires utility companies to file wildfire mitigation plans to the Public Utility Commission.
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law → require → Commission
The plans must include emergency protocols in the case of a wildfire, utility operating plans during high-risk weather conditions, management of grass, shrubs and other vegetation in areas that are at risk of wildfires, inspection of poles and other electric equipment and identified areas of wildfire risks within a utility’s service territory.
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that → include → territory
King, a Republican from Canadian where much of the wildfire damage occurred during the Panhandle wildfires, pressed utility companies on the lack of compliance.
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much → occur → compliance
“I’m very, very disappointed with the industry,” King said.
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King → ’m → industry
“I think it’s imperative for anybody that has not filed that report to realize January is coming.
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January → think → report
You will file that wildfire mitigation plan, and if you’re dragging your feet, there’s no excuse good enough for me.”
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you → file → me
Last year, King filed a slew of bills in response to the devastating Smokehouse Creek wildfires in the Texas Panhandle and parts of Oklahoma in 2024.
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King → file → 2024
It was the largest wildfire in Texas history, started when a decayed power pole owned by Xcel Energy snapped and landed in dry grass.
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pole → start → grass
Nim Kidd, chief for the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said the state has helped local governments respond to more than 1,200 fires since the start of the year.
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governments → say → year
The Ross Fire, which burned for more than three weeks in North Texas, was finally contained by firefighters last week.
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which → burn → firefighters
It’s now the second largest wildfire in the region’s history.
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It → ’ → history
Two wildfires have broken out on Craig Cowden’s Panhandle ranch this year, both ignited by electrical equipment used by oil and gas companies.
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both → break → companies
Cowden extinguished them, before they could spread beyond 5 acres — a fraction of the 20,000 acres he lost to wildfires in 2024.
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he → extinguish → 2024
Cowden was one of many ranchers who worked with lawmakers last year to address the problem.
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who → work → problem
Over the years, several fires have started on Cowden’s land, most of which were the result of faulty or damaged electrical equipment.
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most → start → equipment
“It’s kind of discouraging that there hasn’t been more proactively submitting their wildfire plan,” Cowden said.
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Cowden → ’ → plan
Slow progress
There has been progress since the bill was filed.
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bill → file → ?
According to King, six fires have been linked to electrical issues this year, a significant decrease from 80 in 2024.
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fires → accord → 2024
Connie Corona, director at the PUC, explained the lag in filings to lawmakers, stating that on top of the eight who have submitted, four more have given the PUC a date for when they intend to file their plans.
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they → explain → plans
Corona said another 135 have indicated to the PUC they are in the process of preparing their plan.
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they → say → plan
This leaves 13 who have not communicated their plans to the PUC.
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who → leave → PUC
“We’ve asked for a heads-up notice of when the utility plans to file, and try to ensure that meets with the resources we have available,” Corona told lawmakers.
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Corona → ask → lawmakers
Corona said PUC staff had created a model wildfire mitigation plan that utility companies can use as a template.
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companies → say → template
The model is intended to support smaller utility companies that lack sufficient resources to make their own plan.
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that → intend → plan
King asked Corona for a list of entities who complied with the requirement.
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who → ask → requirement
“When eight out of 160 have complied, and we’re sitting here in September, that doesn’t sound like a very good response to me,” King said.
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King → comply → me
A looming deadline
Brad Baldridge, interim president of Southwestern Public Service Company, which operates as Xcel Energy, told lawmakers what his company is doing to mitigate wildfires.
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company → loom → wildfires
The company was heavily criticized in the wake of the fires and has since deployed 97 wildfire detection cameras across its service territory.
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company → criticize → territory
The cameras use AI to detect smoke and provide that information in real-time to utility personnel, local fire responders and emergency managers.
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cameras → use → personnel
It also uses Public Safety Power Shutoffs to turn off power in certain areas during critical wildfire conditions to prevent an electrical start.
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It → use → start
Baldridge said since 2024, the company has had to shut off power five times.
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company → say → power
When King asked if the company had submitted its wildfire mitigation plans, Baldridge said it was submitted last month.
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it → ask → plans
It would have been submitted earlier, he said, but there was “tremendous” vegetation that grew from rain earlier in the year.
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that → submit → year
“All of our experts were focusing on wildfire mitigation,” Baldridge said.
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Baldridge → focus → mitigation
“Which delayed us a little bit in our filing.”
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Which → delay → filing
Mark Bell, CEO for the Association of Electric Companies of Texas, said they are using remote cameras and sensors to detect wildfires and are taking a more aggressive approach to manage vegetation.
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they → say → vegetation
They also use power shutoffs in extreme conditions to minimize the risk.
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They → use → risk
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
