Potential PSPS in the Village of Hughenden
Page last updated: 3:30 p.m., Friday, May 1, 2026
Current situation
Areas impacted: Village of Hughenden and surrounding areas
Status: Monitoring
Due to extreme wildfire conditions forecast in the Provost area on Sunday, May 3, we may need to shut off impacted transmission lines in the area to prevent the ignition of a wildfire. This will result in a loss of power to the Village of Hughenden and surrounding areas until conditions are safe to turn the power back on.
This is known as a Public Safety Power Shutoff, a last-resort preventative public safety measure used when the threat of sparking a fire is extreme.
We are actively monitoring conditions and working closely with FortisAlberta and Battle River Power Coop as the electricity distribution provider in the area. We will share updates here and will confirm if a Public Safety Power Shutoff is required.
To prepare for the potential loss of power, we encourage you to have an emergency kit and supplies to last at least 72 hours. Thank you for your patience.
What is a PSPS?
During extreme and dangerous weather conditions where the threat of sparking a fire is extreme, or a fire is already burning near our facilities, we may proactively shut off the power to our impacted transmission lines until conditions are safe to turn it back on. This will also de-energize the electricity distribution system connected to our lines in the area. It is intended as a last resort preventative measure to ensure public safety.
Conditions that could trigger a PSPS
Each situation is unique – no single factor drives a Public Safety Power Shutoff. We monitor a range of factors before executing a Public Safety Power Shutoff:
What to expect during a PSPS
information in the timeliest manner possible.
- Advanced warning: Whenever possible, we will provide advance notice of a Public Safety Power Shutoff. Although worsening conditions may require swift action, our goal is to alert you as early as possible before an outage.
- Continued updates: As conditions change on the ground, we will keep you informed before, during and after a Public Safety Power Shutoff. Updates will be delivered via a range of channels and through coordination with local emergency organizations.
- Safety inspection: Once the extreme weather conditions have passed, crews will inspect affected power lines and equipment for damage and debris before restoring power.
- Power restoration: We will restore your power as quickly as we safely can.
We will use all communication channels available to us to notify customers and community stakeholders. This includes outbound calls, social media updates, media advisories, website banners and alerts.
AltaLink works closely with our electricity distribution partners to communicate with customers in the areas where we operate. When communicating before, during and after a Public Safety Power Shutoff, you may receive alerts from FortisAlberta. Please ensure that you update your contact information with your local electricity retailer to receive updates.
For more information and to sign up for outage alerts, please visit Power Outage Alerts (fortisalberta.com) or call 310-WIRE.
How you can prepare
It is difficult to predict how long a Public Safety Power Shutoff will last because it is based on a number of variables. It will last until the risk is eliminated and conditions are safe to turn it back on.
It’s important to be prepared for the potential of any emergency:
- Create an emergency plan that includes how you will manage without power and what to consider if you need to evacuate
- Prepare an emergency kit with supplies and materials to last at least 72 hours
- Plan for any medical needs that require electricity
- Ensure your local electricity retailer has your updated contact information to receive alerts
- Follow AltaLink on Facebook or X for the latest updates
For more information on how to plan for an extended power outage, visit Power Outage Safety.
For more information on how to plan for any emergency, visit Get Prepared.