Latest status: Following the power line failure this past fall, the SPRTV team and our partners worked diligently to restore service. Seasonal road closures, snowfall, and frozen ground have now made our mountaintop site inaccessible for the winter. Repairs are postponed until conditions allow safe access, expected in summer 2026. We know how important these signals are, and we appreciate your patience as we work toward restoration.
What this means, right now: Until repairs can resume, SPRTV’s over-the-air radio and television rebroadcast services will remain off the air.
Our team remains committed to restoring service as soon as possible once weather and access permit. We’ll continue to share updates here as progress is made.
For more information and progress, please stay connected to the Powerline Update Page.
What happened?
SPRTV confirmed a long-term power line outage at its Bald Mountain transmission site on September 26, 2025, interrupting the rebroadcast and over-the-air signals of multiple radio and television stations across Summit County.
Troubleshooting and fault isolation determined that the upper segment of the power line in the “Baldy Bowl” area failed. However, a fix is complex: the site has been operating on a power line that is more than 40 years old.
The Bald Mountain transmitter is a backbone for communications in the High Country, carrying trusted news, music, entertainment, cultural and educational programming, Spanish-language content, and emergency alerts to residents and visitors who might otherwise be cut off by terrain, cost, or limited broadband.
The outage highlights the need for infrastructure upgrades to ensure reliable and equitable public access to essential information in mountain communities. Repairs cannot be made until summer 2026 at the earliest due to rugged terrain and winter conditions.
While the power line has been operating far beyond its expected lifespan, SPRTV has made significant progress on a new power line to supply the transmission site. A substantial portion of cable has been installed, and along a more sustainable route, thanks to the “Power the Tower” campaign and local funding. The project has involved extensive permitting, environmental review, and engineering work, all conducted in accordance with county and federal regulations.
Cable, satellite, and streaming feeds remain unaffected, and SPRTV remains committed to bringing reliable, free broadcasting back to Summit County as quickly and safely as possible.
Updates will be posted on SPRTV.org, social media, and the SPRTV newsletter, while progress summaries will be shared directly with partner broadcasters, supporters, and the community.
See the list of SPRTV’s affected partner radio and television stations, as well as answers to frequently asked questions about the power line here.