8:30 A.M. - 10:20 A.M.
- Safety Moment
- Introduction:
- You will be familiar with the evolving wildfire/utilities issues in California
- You will understand basic wildfire dynamics & how they influence electrical utility operations.
- Discuss sources of ignitions from electrical utilities.
- Brainstorm Best Management Practices to reduce ignitions from electrical utilities.
- You will understand legal and financial exposures from wildfires originating from utility systems.
- Attempt to predict how future legislation and regulation may impact your operations.
- Current Situation
- Wildfire frequency and consequences expanding
- Wildland-Urban Interface expansion & consequences
- Climate change influences
- Costs of Wildfires
- Overview of Risks & Recent Events Driving Wildfire Prevention / Protection
- PG&E, SDG&E and SCE & CPUC Actions (brief)
- Fire Science: Key Point
- Fire triangle
- Fire behavior (fuel, weather, topography)
- Fire danger information sources
- Structural heat thresholds
- Buffers and Coatings
Break (10 minutes)10:30 A.M. - 11:45 A.M.- Managing Heat: Group Brainstorming Session with Key Points Emphasized
- Sources of Heat
- Vegetation touching lines
- Sparks from malfunctions
- Daily crew activities
- Quantifying Issue
- Incident reports
- Anecdotal
Lunch (55 minutes)12:40 P.M. - 2:10 P.M.- Utility Best Management Practices: Group Brainstorming Session with Key Points Emphasized
- Design & location
- High fire threat districts and tiers
- Vegetation management
- Maintenance/inspections
- Seasonal adjustment to system & crew activities
- Fire hazard mitigation near sources or heat
- Coatings, buffers, and barriers
- System hardening
- Emerging technology/equipment advances
- Record keeping/ analysis (looking for trends)
- Fire situational awareness
- Working with wildfire agencies and land managers (federal/tribal)
Break (10 minutes)2:20 P.M. - 3:20 P.M.- Legal Considerations: Key Points
- Current law
- Simple liability vs. negligence
- Compliance with "Best Management Practices"
- Setting realistic company standards & meeting them
- Legislative & Regulatory Initiatives: Key Points
- What might be coming
- CPUC approach to Municipal utilities
- Any fresh legislative initiatives
Break (10 minutes) 3:30 P.M. - 4:30 P.M.- Wildfire Mitigation Plan Template:
- Provide appropriate outline for Municipal owned electrical utility
- Wrap-up
- Where do we go from here?