CC 2019-07-23_06a Presentation regarding Community Wildfire Safety ProgramCommunity Wildfire
Safety Program
City of Arroyo Grande
July 23, 2019
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II)
Together, Building
a Better California
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Community Wildfire Safety Program
NEW AND ENHANCED
SAFETY MEASURES
•Installing stronger and more
resilient poles and covered
power lines, along with
targeted undergrounding
•Upgrading and replacing
electric equipment and
infrastructure to further
reduce wildfire risks
•Working with communities to
develop new resilience zones
to provide electricity to central
community resources during a
Public Safety Power Shutoff
event
SYSTEM HARDENING
AND RESILIENCY
•Coordinating prevention and
response efforts by
monitoring wildfire risks in
real time from our Wildfire
Safety Operations Center
•Expanding our network of
PG&E weather stations to
enhance weather forecasting
and modeling
•Supporting the installation of
new high-definition cameras
in high fire-threat areas
REAL-TIME MONITORING
AND INTELLIGENCE
•Further enhancing vegetation
management efforts to increase
focus on vegetation that poses a
higher potential for wildfire risk
•Conducting accelerated safety
inspections of electric infrastructure
in high fire-threat areas
•Disabling automatic reclosing of
circuit breakers and reclosers in high
fire-risk areas during wildfire season
•Proactively turning off electric
power for safety (Public Safety
Power Shutoff) when gusty winds
and dry conditions combine with a
heightened fire risk
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Real-Time Monitoring and Intelligence
WEATHER STATION INSTALLATION
WILDFIRE SAFETY OPERATIONS CENTER
MONITORING wildfire risks in real time from our
and coordinating prevention and response efforts
~1,300 new weather
stations by 2022
INSTALLING
~600 high-definition
cameras by 2022
SUPPORTING the installation of
24/7 Wildfire Safety
Operations Center
Images available at alertwildfire.org
Data available at mesowest.utah.edu
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Enhanced Vegetation Management
For illustrative purposes only
We are expanding and enhancing our
Vegetation Management program to further
reduce wildfire risk
•Our enhanced vegetation management work
includes the following:
Meeting and exceeding state standards
for minimum clearances around the
power line
Addressing overhanging limbs and
branches directly above and around the
lines
Removing dead and dying trees as well as
specific tree species that have more
frequently fallen into PG&E lines and
caused an ignition
•We are working to complete this important
safety work in high fire-threat areas over
the next several years
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Wildfire Safety Inspections
As part of our enhanced wildfire safety
efforts, implemented following the 2017 and
2018 wildfires as additional precautionary
measures intended to further reduce wildfire
risks, we are conducting accelerated safety
inspections of electric infrastructure in areas
of higher wildfire risk (Tier 2 and Tier 3).
•We are conducting comprehensive inspections of
electric towers and poles through visual and
aerial inspections.
•This work is being done as part of our Community
Wildfire Safety Program, and is in addition to our
routine inspections and maintenance programs.
•We are inspecting substations and transmission
and distribution lines in high fire-threat areas.
Item 6.a. - Page 5
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Inspections Overview
Accelerated
inspections of
transmission and
distribution poles and
towers as well as
substations in high
fire-threat areas
Visual inspections
(ground and/or
climbing) performed
by crews of up to
four people
Aerial inspections
by drones to
complement and
further enhance
inspections
Helicopters for
inspections and to
deliver crews to
remote locations
We are taking action right away to address any immediate
risk to public safety found during the accelerated inspections
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
We will evaluate inspection results to determine
repair needs and associated timing.If any issues
are found during the accelerated inspections that
pose an immediate risk to public safety, we are
taking action right away to address the issue.
•When inspections
determine that repairs are
needed, but there is not an
immediate safety risk, we
will follow our preventative
maintenance procedures,
consistent with state
guidelines for high fire-
threat areas.
•Repairs will depend on
what we observe in the
field but could range from
installing new signs or
electrical components to
replacing poles or towers.
•Where possible, we will
bundle work to minimize
customer impact,
particularly if we need to
de-energize the line to
safely complete the repairs.
Electric System Maintenance and Repairs
Item 6.a. - Page 7
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
System Hardening and Resiliency
Replacing equipment to further
reduce risk to our system and tailoring
upgrades based on terrain and weather
conditions using more granular analysis of
fire-prone regions
Installing stronger and more resilient
poles and covered power lines across
approximately 7,100 line miles of highest
fire-risk areas
Piloting new resilience zones to allow
PG&E to provide electricity to central
community resources serving local
customers during a Public Safety Power
Shutoff (PSPS) event
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Additional Safety Measures
To further reduce the risk of wildfires, we are
disabling automatic reclosing of circuit
breakers and reclosers on lines in high fire-risk
areas during wildfire season.
Where we have remote control capability, we
disable reclosing based on a daily decision-
making process during times of elevated risk.
450 reclosing devices with remote
capabilities in 2018
ENABLED
300 additional reclosing devices
with remote capabilities
WORKING to enable nearly
in advance of the 2019 wildfire season
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)
While no single factor will drive a Public Safety Power Shutoff, some factors include:
A RED FLAG WARNING
declared by the National
Weather Service
LOW HUMIDITY LEVELS
generally 20% and below
FORECASTED SUSTAINED WINDS GENERALLY ABOVE 25 MPH AND
WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, depending on
location and site-specific conditions such as temperature, terrain and
local climate
CONDITION OF DRY FUEL
on the ground and live
vegetation (moisture content)
ON-THE-GROUND, REAL-TIME
OBSERVATIONS
from PG&E’s Wildfire Safety
Operations Center and field
observations from PG&E crews
We monitor conditions across our system and evaluate whether to
proactively turn off electric lines for safety when gusty winds and dry
conditions combine with a heightened fire risk.
Item 6.a. - Page 10
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)
Source: California Public Utilities Commission
•Beginning with the 2019 wildfire season, we are
expanding our Public Safety Power Shutoff
program to include all electric lines that pass
through high fire-threat areas –both distribution
and transmission.
•The most likely electric lines to be considered for
shutting off for safety will be those that pass
through areas that have been designated by the
CPUC as at elevated (Tier 2) or extreme (Tier 3)
risk for wildfire.
•Because the energy system relies on power lines
working together to provide electricity, any of
PG&E’s more than 5 million electric customers
could have their power shut off.
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Fire-Threat Areas
Tier 2 -Elevated
Tier 3 -Extreme
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
PSPS Event Notifications
Timing of Notifications (when possible)
~48 HOURS before electricity is turned off
Extreme weather threats can change quickly. Our goal, dependent on weather, is
to provide customers with advance notice prior to turning off power.We will
also provide updates until power is restored.
~24 HOURS before electricity is turned off
JUST BEFORE electricity is turned off
DURING THE PUBLIC SAFETY OUTAGE
ONCE POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED
City/County/Agency
Notifications
We will make every attempt to provide notice
in advance of notifying customers through:
•Phone calls/emails to primary contacts
•Automated notifications to send alerts
through multiple channels
•Provide customer alerts to share via
channels, such as city or county website,
Nixle, Nextdoor and Reverse 911
Customer Notifications
We will attempt to reach customers through
calls, texts and emails. We will also use social
media and keep local news and radio outlets
informed and updated.
!
Item 6.a. - Page 12
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Working to Restore Power
WEATHER
ALL CLEAR
PATROL &
INSPECT
ISOLATE &
REPAIR DAMAGE
RESTORE
POWER
NOTIFY
CUSTOMERS
After the extreme
weather has passed
and it’s safe to do
so, our crews begin
patrols and
inspections.
Crews visually inspect
our electric system to
look for potential
weather-related
damage to the lines,
poles and towers. This
is done by vehicle, foot
and air during daylight
hours.
Where damage is
found, crews work to
isolate the area so
other parts of the
system can be
restored. Crews work
safely and as quickly
as possible to make
repairs.
Once it is safe to
energize, a call is made
to the PG&E Control
Center to complete the
energization process.
Power is then restored
to customers.
Customers are
notified that power
has been restored.
We will only restore power when we are certain it is safe to do so. We expect to be
able to visually inspect the system for damage and restore power to most of our
customers within 24 to 48 hours after extreme weather has passed.
Because extreme weather can last several hours or days, for planning purposes, we suggest
customers prepare for outages that could last longer than 48 hours.
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Working With Our Customers to Prepare
Reaching out to approximately 5 million
customers and asking them to update their
contact info at pge.com/mywildfirealerts
Holding answer centers and open houses
(as needed) in advance of and during
wildfire season
Mailing postcards to customers that do not
have contact information on file
Providing tenant education kits to Master
Meter customers
Conducting additional outreach to
customers in high fire-threat areas through
direct mail, preparedness checklist and
email campaign
Placing calls and doing additional outreach
to Medical Baseline and Medical Baseline-
eligible customers in high fire-threat areas
Launching broad public safety advertising
campaign
Continuing to share information through
pge.com/wildfiresafety
Partnering with community leaders, first
responders and public safety authorities
around PSPS preparedness and coordination
Engaging with organizations for our
customers who have specific needs to
explore ways we can partner
ADS
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Following the wildfires in 2017 and 2018, some of the changes included in this presentation are contemplated as additional pr ecautionary measures intended to further reduce future wildfire risk.
Learn More
As a critical partner in emergency response, we want to notify you about a potential
Public Safety Power Shutoff in your area, when possible. Please provide the best phone
numbers and email addresses for your organization.
We welcome your feedback and input
For questions regarding PG&E’s Community
Wildfire Safety Program, please direct
customers with questions to:
•Call us at 1-866-743-6589
•Email us at wildfiresafety@pge.com
•Visit pge.com/wildfiresafety
Item 6.a. - Page 15
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ACCELERATED
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ENHANCED
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