Pacific Gas and Electric Company Amended 2019 Wildfire Safety Plan
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company Amended 2019 Wildfire Safety Plan February 6, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction and Objectives of Plan .......................................................................... 1 1.1. Executive Summary ................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Plan Overview and Objectives ................................................................................. 6 2. Program Overview and Climate Change Risk and Strategy ................................... 12 2.1. Overview of Strategies and Programs .................................................................... 12 2.2. Climate Change Risks ............................................................................................ 17 3. Risk Analysis and Drivers ...................................................................................... 19 3.1. Methodology for Identifying and Evaluating Risk.................................................... 20 3.2. List of Wildfire Risks and Drivers............................................................................ 22 3.2.1. Risks and Drivers Identified in RAMP ............................................................. 22 3.2.2. Risks and Drivers Identified After RAMP ........................................................ 22 3.2.3. Risks and Drivers Associated With Design, Construction, Operations and Maintenance ................................................................................................... 29 3.2.4. Topographic and Climatological Risks ............................................................ 29 3.3. How PG&E’s Plan Accounts for Wildfire Risks ....................................................... 31 3.4. Evaluation of Higher Risk Threat Areas ................................................................. 32 3.5. Circuit Prioritization Based on Asset Wildfire Risk ................................................. 32 3.6. Wildfire Evacuation Study ...................................................................................... 34 3.7. Use of Probabilistic Risk Assessments .................................................................. 35 4. Wildfire Reduction Strategy and Programs ............................................................ 35 4.1. Operational Practices ............................................................................................. 46 4.1.1. Recloser Operations ....................................................................................... 47 4.1.2. Personnel Work Procedures in Conditions of Elevated Fire Risk ................... 49 4.1.3. Safety and Infrastructure Protection Teams ................................................... 50 4.1.4. Aviation Resources ......................................................................................... 51 4.2. Wildfire Safety Inspection Programs ...................................................................... 52 4.2.1. WSIP Distribution ........................................................................................... 55 4.2.2. WSIP Transmission ........................................................................................ 56 4.2.3. WSIP Substation ............................................................................................ 59 4.3. System Hardening Overview .................................................................................. 60 4.3.1. Pole Material .................................................................................................. 64 4.3.2. Pole Loading and Replacement ..................................................................... 65 i 4.3.3. Conductor ....................................................................................................... 66 4.3.4. System Protection .......................................................................................... 67 4.3.5. Equipment ...................................................................................................... 69 4.4. Enhanced Vegetation Management ....................................................................... 70 4.4.1. Vegetation Trimming and Overhanging Tree Limbs ....................................... 73 4.4.2. High Fire-Threat District VM Inspection Strategy............................................ 76 4.4.3. Inspecting Trees With a Potential Strike Path to Power Lines ........................ 78 4.4.4. At-Risk Species Management ........................................................................ 79 4.4.5. Challenges Associated With Enhanced Vegetation Management .................. 80 4.4.6. Community and Environmental Impacts ......................................................... 85 4.5. Enhanced Situational Awareness and Known Local Conditions ............................ 86 4.5.1. Meteorological Operations and Advanced Situational Awareness ................. 88 4.5.2. Fire Spread Modeling ..................................................................................... 90 4.5.3. Weather Stations ............................................................................................ 90 4.5.4. Camera Deployment Strategy ........................................................................ 91 4.5.5. Satellite Fire Detection System....................................................................... 92 4.5.6. Storm Outage Prediction Model...................................................................... 92 4.5.7. Wildfire Safety Operations Center .................................................................. 93 4.6. Public Safety Power Shutoff Program .................................................................... 94 4.6.1. PSPS Decision Factors .................................................................................. 97 4.6.2. Strategies to Enhance PSPS Efficiency While Reducing Associated Impacts 98 4.6.2.1. Impact Mitigation Through System Sectionalizing .......................................... 98 4.6.2.2. Resilience Zones ............................................................................................ 99 4.6.2.3. Customer Services and Programs ................................................................ 100 4.6.3. PSPS Notification Strategies ........................................................................ 105 4.6.3.1. Customer and Community Outreach ............................................................ 106 4.6.3.2. Mitigating PSPS Impacts on First Responders, Health Care Facilities, Telecommunications, and Water Utilities ...................................................... 108 4.6.4. Re-Energization Strategy ............................................................................. 109 4.7. Alternative Technologies ...................................................................................... 109 4.7.1. Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiter Pilot Project ............................................. 111 4.7.2. Enhanced Wires Down Detection Project ..................................................... 111 4.7.3. Other Alternative Technologies .................................................................... 111 4.8. Post-Incident Recovery, Restoration and Remediation Activities ......................... 113 4.8.1. Post-Incident Recovery ................................................................................ 113 ii 4.8.2. Restoration ................................................................................................... 114 4.8.3. Remediation ................................................................................................. 114 4.8.3.1. Environmental Remediation – Debris Flow Modeling ................................... 115 5. Emergency Preparedness and Response ............................................................ 117 5.1. PG&E Company Emergency Response Plan ...................................................... 117 5.1.1. The Plan’s Alignment With CERP................................................................. 118 5.1.2. Plans to Prepare for and Restore Service .................................................... 118 5.1.3. Emergency Communications ........................................................................ 120 5.1.3.1. Public Outreach Before Potential Wildfires ................................................... 121 5.1.3.2. Public Outreach During Wildfires .................................................................. 122 5.1.3.3. Public Outreach After Wildfires ..................................................................... 122 5.1.4. Ensuring Adequate Workforce to Restore Service ....................................... 123 5.2. Customer Support in Emergencies ...................................................................... 125 5.2.1. Outage Reporting ......................................................................................... 125 5.2.2. Support for Low Income Customers ............................................................. 125 5.2.3. Billing Adjustments ....................................................................................... 127 5.2.4. Extended Payment Plans ............................................................................. 128 5.2.5. Suspension of Disconnection and Nonpayment Fees and Deposit Waivers 128 5.2.6. Repair Processing and Timing ..................................................................... 128 5.2.7. Access to Utility Representatives ................................................................