Sierra Pacific Power Company
Contact: Faye I. Andersen
Phone: (775) 834-4822

For Immediate Release

Two, four-man electric line crews from Sierra Pacific Power made the trip to southern California last night to help repair power lines and electric facilities damaged by raging wildfires in San Bernardino and surrounding counties. A third crew is expected be on its way today.

The crews are taking line trucks, bucket trucks and other equipment necessary to repair or replace poles and lines burned or destroyed in the fires.

"Electric utilities have provided mutual aid during emergencies whenever it's possible," said Mike Smart, vice president of distribution services for Sierra Pacific Power."Our crews will be able to help the line crews in southern California restore power to customers more quickly and give some of their crews a much needed rest."

Smart said that when the Reno-Sparks and Tahoe areas were slammed with record wind and snow storms last December, Nevada Power and other utilities in Oregon and Utah responded by sending line crews to help with the work of restoring power.

"It's something we do in this business to help each other out in emergencies," Smart said."An electric lineman has a unique set of skills that you usually only find with utility companies."So we're happy to help a neighboring utility whenever we can."

Smart was unable to say for sure how long the crews will be in southern California, but could be as long as several weeks, depending upon the containment of wildfires in the area and how soon the workers can access the damaged facilities.

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