![Black Hills Energy Issues Public Safety Power Shutoff Watch[update]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpub-6d46937c47a9419fbe3e37bc9fe921bb.r2.dev%2Fposts%2Ffeatured%2F2f2c3672965f447b926c3620d4c0ae83.jpg&w=3840&q=90)
Update: Feb. 17, 2026, 5 p.m. – Forecasted weather conditions have improved to the point that Black Hills Energy has cancelled today’s Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Warning for the majority of customers in areas of the Southern Hills experiencing high fire risk. Customers south of Edgemont to Provo and Ardmore will remain under a PSPS Warning due to ongoing hazardous fire conditions.
For more information about the areas impacted by today’s PSPS, visit blackhillsenergy.com/outages.
Update: Black Hills Energy is continuing to monitor rapidly changing fire weather conditions today in the Southern Hills; Emergency PSPS Warning expanded
RAPID CITY, SD, Feb. 17, 2026, 2:15 p.m. – Black Hills Energy is continuing to monitor rapidly changing weather conditions today and has expanded its Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Warning to include areas south of the City of Custer. While the warning area has expanded, weather forecasts indicate the highest risk for PSPS impacts remain in the most southern, rural areas of the Southern Hills, including Argyle, portions of Hot Springs, Buffalo Gap, Edgemont, Provo and Ardmore.
For information about the areas impacted by today’s PSPS, visit blackhillsenergy.com/outages.
“We recognize that shutting off power, even to reduce wildfire risks, has broad impacts,” said Wes Ashton, vice president of South Dakota & Wyoming Utilities. “By expanding our warning notification, we are striving to give our customers as much notice as possible so they can be prepared for possible outages.”
Throughout this hazardous weather event, customers in PSPS impact areas will continue to receive direct notifications from Black Hills Energy through text messages, emails and phone calls.
RAPID CITY, S.D. – For the first time since implementing the program, Black Hills Energy has issued an emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Watch for rural areas around Edgemont, Provo and Ardmore, as high fire‑risk conditions are forecast Tuesday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The utility says about 180 customers may experience a temporary power shutoff Tuesday if conditions worsen. The precaution is designed to prevent electrical equipment from potentially sparking a wildfire. There is a high wind warning, coupled with very dry conditions in southwestern South Dakota today. Red Flag Warnings are also up for most of the western South Dakota plains.
“The safety of our customers, employees and communities is our highest priority,” said Wes Ashton, vice president of South Dakota and Wyoming Utilities. Ashton said the PSPS program is a last‑resort wildfire‑prevention tool used only when elevated wildfire risk is present.
Ashton noted that while the company strives to give as much notice as possible before a shutoff, rapidly changing fire conditions may force an outage with little or no warning.
