SAN FRANCISCO - Arizona's main electric utilities said yesterday the largest wildfire in the state's history so far has not burned into the transmission grid carrying power to the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
Arizona Public Service, the utility subsidiary of Pinnacle West Corp. , and the Salt River Project, a public power utility, said the fire that has blackened more than 322,000 acres (130,000 hectares) in Arizona's eastern high country has burned close to two 500-kilovolt power lines but they were still operating as of early today. The vast blaze, which started last Tuesday, has come to within 1-1/2 miles of a high-voltage line that runs from the Cholla power station in St. Joseph City to the Saguaro power plant north of Tucson, said Damon Gross, a spokesman for Arizona Public Service.
"We have not lost any transmission customers as of this morning, but we're keeping a close eye on the line," Gross said. Arizona Public Service delivers electricity to about 874,000 customers in Arizona.
The Salt River Project, which sends electricity to about 780,000 customers in the Phoenix area, said the fire burned to within two to three miles of its 500-kv line that links the Coronado power plant to Phoenix.
"The fire is moving away from the line to the northeast and the line is still in service," said Patricia Garcia Likens, a spokeswoman for the utility.
Power lines close to fire areas often are shut off because ash and other debris from the blazes can fall onto the lines, triggering a shower of sparks that can drop into brush and trees and ignite more fires.
Meanwhile, Xcel Energy Inc. said Monday that it has re-energized two transmission lines in Colorado that were knocked out two weeks ago in that state's Hayman fire southwest of Denver.
The Hayman blaze, which charred 137,000 acres (54,800 hectares), has been 69 percent contained.:
