Wildfires continue to occur across the United States, making prevention a central focus. Witching Hour, a hard-tech startup in the Innovation Crossroads program at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), is developing a system to reduce wildfire risks by adding insulation to power lines in fire-prone areas.
In 2025, wildfires in the United States caused widespread damage, resulting in costs of hundreds of billions of dollars and affecting millions of people. According to an interview with ORNL, Witching Hour founder Lance Adler highlighted the potential for solutions to reduce these impacts. The company is addressing risks associated with overhead, often uninsulated power lines, aiming to improve protection for both utility providers and communities. Traditional approaches, such as undergrounding power lines, can take years to implement and cost millions per mile, whereas Witching Hour is developing an alternative designed to be faster and more cost-efficient.
The method uses drones to deploy robots that apply a non-flammable coating to power lines. The robots can operate while the lines remain active, providing a faster and more adaptable way to reinforce the electrical grid across different terrains. This approach differs from traditional methods, which tend to be more time-consuming and expensive.
Adler, who has previous entrepreneurial experience, founded his first business while in high school. During his time at PG&E, he explored ways to translate his idea into a practical product. The Innovation Crossroads program, managed by the DOE’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office and the DOE’s Office of Electricity, provides a fellowship supporting entrepreneurs like Adler. The program offers access to R&D resources, including the Powerline Conductor Accelerated Testing Facility, along with pitch sessions and market development training. Adler highlighted the role of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s facilities in advancing their technology, particularly for powerline and electrical testing.
Supported by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Knoxville, Tennessee’s innovation ecosystem, Witching Hour is preparing for its first commercial deployment on the West Coast. The Innovation Crossroads program facilitates connections that help startups remain in the region and engage with the local economy. The Tennessee Valley Authority provides opportunities for startups to test their technologies with regional utilities, potentially leading to larger-scale collaborations. Through its collaboration with Innovation Crossroads, Witching Hour is progressing in its wildfire mitigation initiatives.
