Cave Junction system resiliency

We’re taking actions to enhance reliability and reduce the risk of equipment-related wildfires. These steps include replacing aging overhead power lines in areas with higher wildfire risk with fire-resistant infrastructure, such as covered conductor, and undergrounding lines in some areas.

In total about 200 miles of line rebuild projects are planned in the Cave Junction area with about 70 project miles planned for 2025. These enhancements will help improve the reliability of our system as we adapt to the growing threat of wildfire in the West.

• The Cave Junction projects will improve the safety and reliability of distribution lines to help prevent wildfire.
• This project will increase safety by replacing wooden poles with steel or fiberglass poles and using covered conductor on lines, which will significantly reduce wildfire risk.  

The Cave Junction projects are broken into segments that will be worked on simultaneously.

• The Caves Highway 1 and Caves Highway 2 projects will replace 16.7 miles of bare conductor with tree wire and replace 249 wood poles with steel poles.
• The Chapman Creek Road projects will include 1.6 miles of transmission underbuild, or adding additional lines to existing infrastructure, and the replacement of 5.7 miles of bare conductor with tree wire. The project will also replace 120 wooden poles with steel poles.
• The Rockydale Road projects include the placement of covered conductor on 3.1 miles of lines and the replacement of 55 wooden poles with steel poles.
• The Waldo Road project will replace 8 miles of bare conductor with tree wire and replace 130 wooden poles with steel poles.
• Pacific Power is working closely with Josephine County, the Oregon Department of Transportation, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service on these projects.
• These projects are funded in part through U.S. Department of Energy grants, helping keep costs lower for customers.

• The Caves Highway 1 and Caves Highway 2 projects have completed surveys, design and permitting. Conductor and poles are currently being replaced.
• The Chapman Creek Road projects have completed surveys, design and permitting. Construction is underway.
• The Rockydale Road projects:
  • Segment 3A is complete with new overhead conductor and poles along the Rockydale Road corridor. 
  • Segment 3B will begin once permits are secured to go through the wetlands.
• The Waldo Road project is under construction. Conductor and poles are currently being replaced.

• Pacific Power Wildfire Safety
• PacifiCorp Wildfire Mitigation Plans