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Preparing for emergencies and climate impacts

Preparing for emergencies and climate impacts. Gina Blus Sustainable Communities Feb. 28, 2013. Emergency-related efforts. Protecting public and employee safety is the responsibility of every department and individual at PG&E, so dealing with emergencies is part of the job

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Preparing for emergencies and climate impacts

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  1. Preparing for emergencies and climate impacts Gina Blus Sustainable Communities Feb. 28, 2013

  2. Emergency-related efforts • Protecting public and employee safety is the responsibility of every department and individual at PG&E, so dealing with emergencies is part of the job • Prevention: training, electric reliability upgrades, gas PSEP, 811, public service messages (magnetic balloons, downed power lines), encroachments • Preparedness: first responder workshops, Red Cross partnership (Causes.com pledge, Ready Neighborhoods campaign) • Response: Emergency Operations Centers, mobile command vehicles, repair and restoration crews

  3. Pipeline safety enhancement plan • Pipelines • Replace 180+ miles of transmission pipeline • Strength test (hydrostatic pressure test) 780+ miles • Inspect 200+ miles with a "smart pig" or camera • Retrofit 200 miles to accommodate in-line inspections • Valves • Automate 220 valves on pipelines in highly populated and earthquake-prone areas • Interim Safety Enhancement Measures • Continue validating the Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure for all transmission pipelines until testing and/or replacment • Reduce gas pipeline pressure in certain areas • Significantly increase patrols and leak surveys

  4. Climate-related efforts • 35 years of mitigating climate impacts through energy efficiency, clean energy, education • 5 years of tracking and anticipating the impacts of climate change • Temperature change • Storm frequency and intensity • Rainfall and runoff patterns, including snowpack • Firestorms • Sea level rise • Extreme weather events (freezing, flooding)

  5. Scary scenarios more less less more sea level rise high tides flooding seawater intrusion ground movement corrosion

  6. Goal: reduce operational risks • Scientists focus on next 1-3 decades • Temperature change: impact on electricity demand • Storm frequency and intensity • Rainfall and runoff patterns: declining snowpack • Firestorms • Sea level rise: impact on infrastructure • Extreme weather events (freezing, flooding • Cross functional team will focus on need for capital investment, coordination with regional efforts, etc.

  7. Primary activities to date • Develop standard procedures for measuring temperature change, rainfall and runoff, and sea level rise; monitor annually • Provide data to researchers; track reports and academic studies from local, national and global sources • Model potential impacts; plan alternatives • Include climate impacts in regular planning and upgrades, e.g. San Francisco Bay restoration, BayDelta Vision • Learn from experience; update standards • Work collaboratively with institutes and agencies

  8. Questions? • Gina Blus • Sustainable Communities Supervisor • Gina.Blus@PGE.com • 415-973-8432

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