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Utility Wildfire Risk Mitigation: A California Perspective

Learn about utility efforts to mitigate wildfire risks in California, including data collection, CPUC response, and analysis of ignition events for effective decision-making.

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Utility Wildfire Risk Mitigation: A California Perspective

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  1. Utility Wildfire Risk Mitigation: A California Perspective August 16, 2019 Koko Tomassian, P.E. Sr. Utilities Engineer Safety and Enforcement Division Koko.Tomassian@cpuc.ca.gov

  2. California Wildfires

  3. Agenda • Understanding the Problem • The 5 W’s • CPUC Response • CPUC Fire-Threat Map • Utility fire ignition data collection and reporting • Risk-based decision-making framework in GRCs

  4. Understanding the Problem

  5. Before Solving a Problem, We Must First Understand It • Need to get the complete picture • Before discussing “How” to implement effective mitigation measures, we must ask the 5 W’s: • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why?

  6. When? • When an ignition occurs is of critical importance • Weather information: • Wind speeds and gusts • Temperature • Humidity • Environmental information: • Fuel load conditions (i.e. fuel moisture content)

  7. Where? • CPUC Fire-Threat Map & High Fire Threat District (HFTD) • Collection & reporting of utility fire ignition data • Incorporation of a risk-based decision making framework in GRCs

  8. CPUC Response

  9. CPUC Fire-Threat Map & the HFTD

  10. CPUC Fire-Threat Map Land Coverage in California

  11. Regulatory & Mitigation Efforts in HFTD Areas • Increased vegetation clearance requirements • Increased inspection frequencies and shortened repair timeframes • Utilities targeting conductor and equipment replacement programs to HFTD areas • Weather station installations on circuits in HFTD areas For more information visit: www.cpuc.ca.gov/firethreatmaps

  12. Reporting of Utility Ignition Data • Adopted in 2014 by D.14-02-015 • Reported annually on April 1st by: • PG&E • SCE • SDG&E • Reportable Ignitions: • Utility asset provides heat source for ignition • Self-propagating of material other than utility facility • Travels > 1m from ignition point • Utility has knowledge of fire occurrence • First reports submitted on April 1, 2015, covering the latter half of 2014 • Over 2,500 ignitions reported to-date

  13. Plot of Suspected Initiating Events2014 – 2018 by Utility

  14. Object Contact Events by Object Type

  15. Equipment/Facility Failure Events by Equipment Type

  16. Informative Takeaways from Utility Ignition Data Analysis • 75% of ignitions result in fires ≤ 0.25 acres • Only 1% of ignitions result in fires > 1,000 acres • Nearly 97% of all reported ignitions occurred on the distribution system • Over 77% of all reported ignitions occurred in Q2 or Q3

  17. Thank You! For further information related to any information presented today, feel free to contact me at: Koko Tomassian, Sr. Utilities Engineer Safety & Enforcement Division 213-576-7099 Koko.Tomassian@cpuc.ca.gov www.cpuc.ca.gov

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