NV Energy pushes possible Mount Charleston outage to Thursday
NV Energy said it is continuing to consider turning off electric service to the Mount Charleston area as a safety precaution to prevent wildfires, with a possible shut-off time now slated for Thursday afternoon.
The outage, if it takes place, would start at 1 p.m. and last 24 hours.
“This timeframe includes the duration of the weather event and an estimate of how long it will take crews to inspect the lines for damage, vegetation or debris in order to begin safely restoring power,” the agency said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “Please note that the restoration time may change based on weather conditions or if crews must make repairs to equipment.”
Affected customers have been notified. The outage may be changed or canceled, depending on weather.
Consideration for an outage comes as the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning from Wednesday at 11 a.m. through Friday morning for Southern Nevada — an advisory that means high winds and dry conditions make for ideal wildfire spread.
A wind advisory also is in place for much of Thursday. Gusts in the Las Vegas area could reach 40 mph.
NV Energy said the shut-off “helps prevent power lines, things that are blown into power lines, and other equipment from causing a wildfire.”
“Safety is our priority,” the company said in a statement on its website.
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
