All electrical utilities are required to construct, maintain, and operate their lines and equipment to minimize the risk of a utility-caused wildfire and undertake comprehensive mitigation measures through a Wildfire Mitigation Plan. This year, utilities filed comprehensive plans that cover a three-year period describing how the respective utility is calculating risk, prioritizing infrastructure upgrades, and choosing mitigation strategies. The responsibility to review, investigate and approve these plans was transferred from the CPUC to the new Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety (Energy Safety) at the California Natural Resources Agency. While Energy Safety monitors wildfire mitigation expenditure data, the CPUC ultimately determines ratepayer costs during a utility’s General Rate Case.
In June 2023, Energy Safety issued a revision notice for PG&E to correct critical issues on its vegetation management programs, undergrounding plans, and Enhanced Powerline Safety Setting (EPSS) program. This week, RCRC and other public stakeholders provided feedback to Energy Safety on PG&E’s Revised 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan. RCRC values the ongoing dialogue between PG&E and counties impacted by its vegetation management activities and the extensive work to clear the backlog of hazard trees. While the progress and assurances to customers to remedy the large debris left behind is commendable, RCRC requests measurable commitments within the Wildfires Mitigation Plan. Rigorous hazard tree mitigation is essential to prevent power outages and ignitions, and the decision to sunset and replace the Enhanced Vegetation Management Program may unfortunately lead to more EPSS outages. Overall, RCRC seeks to ensure long-term system hardening projects are effectively implemented to achieve both safety and reliability outcomes.
RCRC’s comments can be viewed here. Energy Safety is currently evaluating PG&E’s Revised WMP and will make an approval determination no later than October 16, 2023. For more information, please contact RCRC Policy Advocate Leigh Kammerich.