Photo: Colin Dacre

FortisBC power lines outside Summerland.

The BC Utilities Commission has ordered FortisBC to suspend its plan to proactively cut electricity to some communities when wildfire weather becomes extreme.

The provincial regulator made the order Monday evening in response to a complaint the Town of Princeton filed Thursday over the FortisBC announcement.

“I’m excited,” said Mayor Spencer Coyne, adding he is "surprised" at how quickly the BCUC moved in making the order.

FortisBC announced its “Public Safety Power Shutoff” policy last month. Described as a last-resort measure to reduce the chance of wildfire ignition, the utility said it is adopting what has become standard operating procedure in wildfire zones like California.

FortisBC says smaller communities Rock Creek or Greenwood along the Highway 3 corridor and the Similkameen Valley are the most vulnerable to having their power cut. FortisBC said they would try to provide as much advance warning to a shutoff event as possible.

Coyne, who learned about the policy alongside the general public, said he has heard major “anxiety” from the community over the plan.

“I spoke to one business today and a rather large employer in town… They're looking at bringing in generators—they're talking like major, major dollars that they don't know if it is even financially viable—if they have to keep them running for days on end.”

Coyne says Princeton residents understand why FortisBC has proposed the proactive shutoffs, but the way the plan is presented has people worried.

“Everybody right now is questioning the motive, why they would do this the way they're doing it.”

The BCUC has ordered FortisBC to file its Public Safety Power Shutoff policy with the regulator by May 20 for review. The BCUC will then review the policy to ensure it complies with provincial regulation.

Donegal Wilson, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, said the BCUC’s order is the result of strong community advocacy from local representatives “who came together to stand up for our communities.”

“This isn’t over, and I’ll continue working to ensure that any future decisions around wildfire safety and power reliability reflect the realities of rural and small-town life,” she said in a Facebook post.

In a statement provided early Monday evening, official with FortisBC says it received direction from the BC Utilities Commission and will take the time needed to review next steps.

"Our commitment goes beyond providing energy - it's personal." said a company statement.

"With hundreds of employees across B.C., including right here in the Southern Interior, we are not just providing these communities energy, we are part of them.

"We live, work and raise our families here and we care deeply about the safety and well-being of our neighbours.

"We remain committed to open dialogue with our customers, stakeholders and the public to ensure a balanced approach that prioritizes wildfire prevention and minimizes disruptions."

Photo: FortisBC

The areas in brown are the most likely to be impacted by a proactive power outage in the event of extreme wildfire danger.