The Pacific Northwest’s federal power agency, recently found guilty of destroying evidence that may have tied it to a disastrous 2020 wildfire, has released its latest fire mitigation plan.
The Bonneville Power Administration released this year’s updated plan on Wednesday, with officials saying the plan had been “completely rewritten” to elevate the agency’s risk modeling improvements and operational changes. The agency was created by Congress in 1937 to deliver power from federally owned hydroelectric dam projects to the region. The 2026 plan is the fifth iteration since 2020.
The 2026 plan’s mitigation hierarchy is structured as follows:
- Transmission system maintenance and hardening
- Situational models and analysis focused on mitigation strategies
- Operational settings to ensure grid reliability and provide quick responses
- Power shutoffs during extreme weather to minimize ignition risks
The agency is currently facing major federal lawsuits for its alleged role in the 2020 Holiday Farm Fire in Oregon, which destroyed over 500 homes and left one person dead. A judge ruled in February that the agency intentionally destroyed evidence that could have tied it to the fire’s ignition, including moving trees off power lines after being told by wildfire investigators to stay out of the area.
“BPA willfully spoiled evidence because it moved trees of interest and allowed its contractors to materially disturb the ignition site without preserving evidence it knew it should, and could, preserve in reasonable anticipation of litigation,” the judge wrote.
Part of the agency’s new plan includes a restructured governance structure, which officials said fosters “agency wide coordination” and relies on external collaboration and accountability.
“BPA established a governance structure for wildfire mitigation that includes a cross-functional team to discuss and recommend strategies, a steering committee to provide approval authority and a sponsor advisory group to foster communication with executive level personnel,” the agency said in its new plan.