WEBVTT 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:09.270 The feed for this streaming event, 00:00:09.270 --> 00:00:11.650 brought to you by adminmonitor.com, 00:00:11.650 --> 00:00:13.180 will begin momentarily. 00:00:13.180 --> 00:00:15.100 Thank you for your patience. 00:00:15.100 --> 00:00:16.267 Hi, everyone. 00:00:19.410 --> 00:00:21.450 Welcome to the California Public Utilities 00:00:21.450 --> 00:00:26.450 Commission, on this day, Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021. 00:00:26.840 --> 00:00:28.613 President Batjer, you may begin. 00:00:30.010 --> 00:00:31.650 Thank you very much operator 00:00:31.650 --> 00:00:33.753 and thank you everyone. 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:39.840 And again, thank you for joining us for a public briefing 00:00:39.910 --> 00:00:42.220 from Pacific Gas and Electric Company 00:00:42.220 --> 00:00:46.850 on its readiness for the public safety power shutoff events, 00:00:46.850 --> 00:00:48.203 this wildfire season. 00:00:49.110 --> 00:00:51.670 Today's briefing from PG&E is the third 00:00:51.670 --> 00:00:53.770 in a series of four public briefings 00:00:53.770 --> 00:00:55.440 we are holding this week. 00:00:55.440 --> 00:00:58.810 Having heard from San Diego Gas and Electric yesterday, 00:00:58.810 --> 00:01:02.900 Southern California Edison earlier today, 00:01:02.900 --> 00:01:06.490 and tomorrow we will hear from Bear Valley Electric, 00:01:06.490 --> 00:01:09.230 Liberty Utilities and PacifiCorp. 00:01:09.230 --> 00:01:12.490 I'm honored to have joining me today, on the virtual dais, 00:01:12.490 --> 00:01:15.010 representatives from the California Governor's Office 00:01:15.010 --> 00:01:18.840 of Emergency Services and the California Department 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:21.330 of Forestry and Fire Protection, 00:01:21.330 --> 00:01:26.267 and from the office of energy infrastructure safety. 00:01:27.170 --> 00:01:30.770 Director Ghilarducci will be joining us from OES 00:01:30.770 --> 00:01:33.740 and Cal Fire's chief, Berlant, 00:01:33.740 --> 00:01:36.500 will be is representing Cal Fire, 00:01:36.500 --> 00:01:41.240 and OEIS is represented today by 00:01:41.240 --> 00:01:44.340 Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs. 00:01:44.340 --> 00:01:48.580 As well, we are joined by my fellow Commissioners: 00:01:48.580 --> 00:01:51.410 Commissioner Rechtschaffen, Commissioner Guzman Aceves, 00:01:51.410 --> 00:01:54.310 Commissioner Shiroma and Commissioner Houck. 00:01:54.310 --> 00:01:56.790 In terms of the format for today's briefing, 00:01:56.790 --> 00:01:59.970 following the opening remarks from the dais, 00:01:59.970 --> 00:02:03.630 PG&E Senior Vice President and Chief Risk officer, 00:02:03.630 --> 00:02:05.210 Sumeet Singh, 00:02:05.210 --> 00:02:08.930 will provide an overview of PG&E data preparedness 00:02:08.930 --> 00:02:12.760 for PSPS events, this wildfire season. 00:02:12.760 --> 00:02:15.220 We will then move on to the discussion 00:02:15.220 --> 00:02:19.000 and question and answers with Commissioners 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:21.020 and panelists on the dais, 00:02:21.020 --> 00:02:23.200 followed by public comments. 00:02:23.200 --> 00:02:26.820 And we are scheduled today to conclude by 4:00 PM. 00:02:26.820 --> 00:02:31.820 I will say that during the presentation, 00:02:32.040 --> 00:02:36.730 Mr. Singh, we will probably be asking questions of you. 00:02:36.730 --> 00:02:39.060 So please don't take that as an interruption, 00:02:39.060 --> 00:02:42.400 but more in the moment asking questions. 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:45.871 And before the public comment portion of the day, 00:02:45.871 --> 00:02:49.850 which will begin at approximately 3:05, 00:02:49.850 --> 00:02:51.360 if you wish to make public comment, 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:55.753 please dial into 1-800-857-1917, 00:02:58.880 --> 00:03:03.880 enter pass code 7-2-1-8-3-8-4 pound and press star one. 00:03:07.820 --> 00:03:10.560 You will be placed into a queue and the operator 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:12.710 will take your name and organization. 00:03:12.710 --> 00:03:16.400 There may be a delay from the time you press star one 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:19.530 to the time the operator asks for your information. 00:03:19.530 --> 00:03:22.490 So please be patient and stay on the line. 00:03:22.490 --> 00:03:24.430 You will be called upon to speak, 00:03:24.430 --> 00:03:27.820 when we get to the public comment period in today's agenda, 00:03:27.820 --> 00:03:31.880 and we will provide two minutes for each speaker. 00:03:31.880 --> 00:03:32.820 Let me repeat that. 00:03:32.820 --> 00:03:36.030 We will provide two minutes for each speaker. 00:03:36.030 --> 00:03:38.580 I will keep my opening remarks brief 00:03:38.580 --> 00:03:40.890 so that the majority of our time today 00:03:40.890 --> 00:03:43.070 can be used to ensure that the public 00:03:43.070 --> 00:03:47.620 is able to hear from PG&E on their state of preparedness. 00:03:47.620 --> 00:03:50.960 But since I'm sure a number of people listening today 00:03:50.960 --> 00:03:53.470 were not able to join us for the briefings earlier, 00:03:53.470 --> 00:03:55.670 I will cover a few topics of importance 00:03:55.670 --> 00:03:58.050 that I have covered previously. 00:03:58.050 --> 00:04:00.240 With climate change driven weather events 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:02.030 and the drought conditions we are facing 00:04:02.030 --> 00:04:03.170 throughout the west, 00:04:03.170 --> 00:04:05.890 our wildfire seasons are starting earlier 00:04:05.890 --> 00:04:10.330 and ending later, and they are persistently more severe. 00:04:10.330 --> 00:04:15.330 2020 into early 2021, was a very long fire season, 00:04:16.070 --> 00:04:19.910 and California has experienced a significant number 00:04:19.910 --> 00:04:22.600 of power shutoff by their utilities. 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:25.030 In fact, up until mid January, 00:04:25.030 --> 00:04:29.583 the major utilities were continuing to call power shutoff. 00:04:30.970 --> 00:04:35.080 This year we have already had over 5,600 wildfires 00:04:35.080 --> 00:04:38.620 that have burned nearly half a million acres in California, 00:04:38.620 --> 00:04:41.110 and it is only the beginning of August. 00:04:41.110 --> 00:04:45.700 Notably the Dixie Fire in PG&E service territory 00:04:45.700 --> 00:04:49.630 has already burned over 250,000 acres, 00:04:49.630 --> 00:04:53.750 making it the 11th largest wildfire in California history, 00:04:53.750 --> 00:04:58.750 and requiring evacuations of more than 5,400 personnel, 00:05:01.750 --> 00:05:04.940 to be mobilized to combat the fire. 00:05:04.940 --> 00:05:08.940 While the legislature, our sister agencies, and the CPUC, 00:05:08.940 --> 00:05:12.110 are driving the utilities to plan for, 00:05:12.110 --> 00:05:14.410 and execute approaches to reduce the risk 00:05:14.410 --> 00:05:16.650 of utility caused wildfires through 00:05:16.650 --> 00:05:20.210 better weather forecasting and grid hardening 00:05:20.210 --> 00:05:22.120 and vegetation management. 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:25.260 One of the tools that is available to the utilities, 00:05:25.260 --> 00:05:27.930 is to shut off power to customers. 00:05:27.930 --> 00:05:30.630 Unlike other mitigation strategies, 00:05:30.630 --> 00:05:33.740 these PSPS events have very real 00:05:33.740 --> 00:05:36.123 and very direct impacts to customers. 00:05:37.660 --> 00:05:40.420 It is trading individual risk to customers 00:05:40.420 --> 00:05:41.983 for reducing wildfire risk. 00:05:43.170 --> 00:05:45.340 I can't emphasize that enough. 00:05:45.340 --> 00:05:48.080 This trade-off is why PSPS events 00:05:48.080 --> 00:05:52.440 must always be the measure of last resort. 00:05:52.440 --> 00:05:55.930 At risk in a PSPS event, are people's lives 00:05:55.930 --> 00:05:57.093 and their livelihoods. 00:05:58.290 --> 00:06:01.250 We have continually emphasized to the utilities 00:06:01.250 --> 00:06:03.130 that when they shut off the power 00:06:03.130 --> 00:06:05.260 people's lives are up ended, 00:06:05.260 --> 00:06:08.350 and for those who rely on power to sustain life 00:06:08.350 --> 00:06:10.140 supporting medical devices, 00:06:10.140 --> 00:06:13.994 the consequences of loss of power are far beyond 00:06:13.994 --> 00:06:15.623 inconsequential. 00:06:16.780 --> 00:06:20.250 PG&E has the responsibility to manage their grid 00:06:20.250 --> 00:06:24.370 responsibly and they have a duty to keep the safety 00:06:24.370 --> 00:06:28.590 and wellbeing of their customers as their highest priority. 00:06:28.590 --> 00:06:32.270 If and when PG&E call a power shut off, 00:06:32.270 --> 00:06:34.360 they must have planned and prepared 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:36.630 so that people are without power 00:06:36.630 --> 00:06:40.003 for the shortest amount of time possible, 00:06:41.900 --> 00:06:42.910 or provided them 00:06:42.910 --> 00:06:45.620 with enough information to make arrangements, 00:06:45.620 --> 00:06:48.190 to ensure their families are safe 00:06:48.190 --> 00:06:52.340 and that they are prepared to weather the duration, 00:06:52.340 --> 00:06:55.300 withstand the duration of the shut off. 00:06:55.300 --> 00:06:59.673 This is just the minimum of what must be done. 00:06:59.673 --> 00:07:03.390 CPUC staff and the staff of our sister agencies, 00:07:03.390 --> 00:07:08.390 CAL OES, Cal Fire, and OEIS has spent countless hours 00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:09.930 meeting with PG&E 00:07:09.930 --> 00:07:13.980 and overseeing their efforts to reduce the use, 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:17.490 scope and impact of any PSPS event. 00:07:17.490 --> 00:07:20.930 And as we observed during the 2020 wildfire season, 00:07:20.930 --> 00:07:25.930 PG&E indeed made progress in 2020 compared to 2019, 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:28.460 but there's still a long way to go. 00:07:28.460 --> 00:07:30.630 Areas of particular focus this year, 00:07:30.630 --> 00:07:33.990 must be on information sharing with state local agencies 00:07:33.990 --> 00:07:35.400 and travel governments. 00:07:35.400 --> 00:07:37.570 And we expect greater expansion 00:07:39.010 --> 00:07:44.010 in the deployment of PG&E battery backed progress. 00:07:44.130 --> 00:07:48.880 PG&E notification protocols also require improvements, 00:07:48.880 --> 00:07:52.860 especially in implementing instances, excuse me, 00:07:52.860 --> 00:07:56.920 eliminating instances when impacted customers 00:07:56.920 --> 00:08:00.310 are not noticed or what we refer to as, 00:08:00.310 --> 00:08:01.923 no notice de-energization. 00:08:02.870 --> 00:08:06.630 Today, I'm particularly interested to hear from PG&E 00:08:06.630 --> 00:08:10.300 about their progress to mitigate impacts of power shutoff 00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:13.660 on people who rely on electricity to maintain 00:08:13.660 --> 00:08:18.100 necessary life function, including for durable medical 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:21.440 equipment and assisted technology. 00:08:21.440 --> 00:08:25.080 I and my fellow Commissioners are focused on insurance 00:08:25.080 --> 00:08:27.940 that the utilities improve outreach and notification 00:08:27.940 --> 00:08:31.390 to all customers with particular focus 00:08:31.390 --> 00:08:34.423 on customers with access and functional needs. 00:08:35.850 --> 00:08:37.980 This is the second year we have required 00:08:37.980 --> 00:08:40.900 these public briefings, and with more maturity, 00:08:40.900 --> 00:08:43.220 I am expecting more detail, 00:08:43.220 --> 00:08:45.113 thoughtfulness and accountability. 00:08:46.020 --> 00:08:47.353 We need specifics. 00:08:48.270 --> 00:08:51.480 We need specifics on where you have improved, 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:55.490 where you are lagging and where you are focusing 00:08:55.490 --> 00:08:57.100 your resources. 00:08:57.100 --> 00:08:59.040 Where are your priorities? 00:08:59.040 --> 00:09:01.437 As I said, many times before, 00:09:01.437 --> 00:09:05.007 "You'll be judged by your outcome, not by your plans." 00:09:06.110 --> 00:09:08.870 I will now turn to our representatives 00:09:08.870 --> 00:09:11.440 from CAL OES, Cal Fire and OES 00:09:12.770 --> 00:09:15.880 for any opening remarks that they would like to make. 00:09:15.880 --> 00:09:17.940 And I can't see you all. 00:09:17.940 --> 00:09:21.250 So I'm gonna just sort of call out. 00:09:21.250 --> 00:09:23.913 Caroline, would you like to make any opening remarks? 00:09:24.930 --> 00:09:27.180 Sure, I just want to thank you President Batjer 00:09:27.180 --> 00:09:29.840 for inviting us to join you guys on these briefings, 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:30.710 really appreciate it. 00:09:30.710 --> 00:09:32.400 The first two have been really productive 00:09:32.400 --> 00:09:34.860 and look forward to hearing from PG&E. 00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:38.680 I think I concur with all the thoughts 00:09:38.680 --> 00:09:41.210 you've already commented on in terms of the risks 00:09:41.210 --> 00:09:46.210 and the exposure the PSPS adds to our customers 00:09:46.930 --> 00:09:50.140 and consumers in these areas, service territories. 00:09:50.140 --> 00:09:52.830 I'm particularly interested in hearing from PG&E today 00:09:52.830 --> 00:09:55.600 on the changes that have happened 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:58.790 to their PSPS program because of the evolving 00:09:59.760 --> 00:10:03.330 federal court case and what that impact will be 00:10:03.330 --> 00:10:05.503 on the PSPS program this fall. 00:10:07.800 --> 00:10:10.470 They did make a sizable improvements last year, 00:10:10.470 --> 00:10:13.190 over their 2019 program. 00:10:13.190 --> 00:10:15.880 But as you said, they do need to keep evolving. 00:10:15.880 --> 00:10:19.310 And I think that the additional requirements 00:10:19.310 --> 00:10:21.160 or inputs that they're considering 00:10:21.160 --> 00:10:22.410 are gonna have an impact on that. 00:10:22.410 --> 00:10:25.503 So I'm particularly interested in hearing about that today. 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:28.580 But overall, I appreciate the opportunity again 00:10:28.580 --> 00:10:32.569 to be here and get the briefing from PG&E, thank you. 00:10:32.569 --> 00:10:33.440 Thank you. 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:37.130 Chief Berlant, would you like to make any opening remarks? 00:10:37.130 --> 00:10:38.910 Sure, thank you President Batjer. 00:10:38.910 --> 00:10:41.730 I want to echo your comments related to the conditions 00:10:41.730 --> 00:10:44.100 of the fire season that we've already experienced. 00:10:44.100 --> 00:10:46.510 Obviously the Dixie fire and many others 00:10:46.510 --> 00:10:49.440 have made the headlines and, you know, 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:51.880 the potential causes also, 00:10:51.880 --> 00:10:54.190 I think are of important note here, 00:10:54.190 --> 00:10:57.390 especially as we talk about how to prevent 00:10:57.390 --> 00:10:59.500 utility sparked wildfires. 00:10:59.500 --> 00:11:02.380 The 2021 fire season is obviously off to a busy start. 00:11:02.380 --> 00:11:06.300 As you gave some of the numbers already 00:11:06.300 --> 00:11:07.390 of what we've experienced, 00:11:07.390 --> 00:11:10.083 our firefighters have been on the front lines 00:11:10.083 --> 00:11:12.890 of a significant increase in fires this year 00:11:12.890 --> 00:11:16.240 that have already burned significantly more acres 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.230 than we were at, the same time period last year. 00:11:19.230 --> 00:11:22.390 And I think that today's briefing is incredibly timely 00:11:22.390 --> 00:11:23.780 as much of Northern California, 00:11:23.780 --> 00:11:26.840 likely to experience red flag warning conditions 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:28.440 later this week, and so, you know, 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:32.120 the potential of PSPS could be as early as later this week. 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:34.200 And so we'll look forward to if there's any specifics 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:36.890 that PG&E has that you can share with us. 00:11:36.890 --> 00:11:40.620 It's important to note that when nearly 89% of California 00:11:40.620 --> 00:11:43.300 under extreme or exceptional drought conditions 00:11:43.300 --> 00:11:45.640 or fire activity across much of the states 00:11:45.640 --> 00:11:46.900 is going to be extreme 00:11:46.900 --> 00:11:49.270 as it already has been this year. 00:11:49.270 --> 00:11:51.110 And so this year's fire season, 00:11:51.110 --> 00:11:55.270 if anything like last is going to go late into the fall 00:11:55.270 --> 00:11:58.000 and even potentially into what is traditionally winter time. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:00.760 And so the need for PG&E and everybody else 00:12:00.760 --> 00:12:03.860 to be prepared year round is only exacerbated. 00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:06.440 So really today, much like the other hearings, 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:08.780 I look forward to hearing your plan, 00:12:08.780 --> 00:12:10.510 PSPS decision making, 00:12:10.510 --> 00:12:14.080 changes that you're gonna be using this year, 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:15.850 but I really want to get into some of the specifics 00:12:15.850 --> 00:12:19.340 on what you're doing to improve weather data metrics 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:20.317 that you'll use this model. 00:12:20.317 --> 00:12:23.170 And if you watch the other last couple of hearings, 00:12:23.170 --> 00:12:24.680 not just the word improved, 00:12:24.680 --> 00:12:27.200 but actually understanding the numbers, 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:29.260 what are we actually gonna see, metric wise, 00:12:29.260 --> 00:12:32.160 that changes, especially as progress is made 00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:34.050 towards infrastructure, 00:12:34.050 --> 00:12:35.890 towards hardening of the infrastructure, I should say. 00:12:35.890 --> 00:12:37.763 How does that change your model, 00:12:39.430 --> 00:12:42.410 as the president mentioned, with maturity over time here? 00:12:42.410 --> 00:12:45.440 So again, look forward to hearing what you have to say 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.250 and look forward to what efforts also are underway 00:12:48.250 --> 00:12:51.280 to avoid PSPSs through infrastructure hardening 00:12:51.280 --> 00:12:53.240 and through the required vegetation management. 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:55.900 So appreciate the opportunity here. 00:12:55.900 --> 00:12:57.310 And I know we'll have plenty of questions. 00:12:57.310 --> 00:12:59.160 So thank you, president. 00:12:59.160 --> 00:13:00.600 Thank you, Chief. 00:13:00.600 --> 00:13:03.060 And I'm not sure whether Mark Ghilarducci 00:13:03.060 --> 00:13:05.743 has been able to join us, I know he intends to. 00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:08.570 Is there anybody here from... 00:13:11.230 --> 00:13:12.063 Oh, good, thank you. 00:13:12.063 --> 00:13:14.920 I'm sorry Mark, I can't see you in my layout. 00:13:14.920 --> 00:13:17.300 Thanks President Batjer, 00:13:17.300 --> 00:13:21.393 and thanks for the opportunity to join today as well. 00:13:23.030 --> 00:13:23.930 I'll be very brief. 00:13:23.930 --> 00:13:26.420 I will just say that, you know, 00:13:26.420 --> 00:13:29.600 President Batjer's comments really summarizes 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.987 the challenges and the extent of where we're at 00:13:32.987 --> 00:13:35.670 and the previous speakers as well. 00:13:35.670 --> 00:13:38.930 I think framed issues, have interest to all of us, 00:13:38.930 --> 00:13:42.570 that we're continuing to be very, very focused on. 00:13:42.570 --> 00:13:46.460 All of those, obviously having a direct impact 00:13:46.460 --> 00:13:51.460 on how the work of PG&E and, you know, 00:13:51.920 --> 00:13:54.557 specifically issues associated with, 00:13:54.557 --> 00:13:59.557 whether a PSPS will occur or not take place, 00:14:01.063 --> 00:14:03.560 and the cascading impacts associated with that. 00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:05.620 I will say in general, you know, 00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:08.820 we have seen really an overall improvement 00:14:08.820 --> 00:14:12.350 in performance and effort by PG&E, 00:14:12.350 --> 00:14:17.350 and I want to thank the company for all of those efforts, 00:14:17.380 --> 00:14:22.380 even between the 2019 season and the 2020 season, 00:14:22.510 --> 00:14:24.230 things continue to improve. 00:14:24.230 --> 00:14:26.780 And I know that you have been working hard at that. 00:14:27.731 --> 00:14:29.810 And of course, 00:14:29.810 --> 00:14:34.240 previous speakers spoke to many things beyond PSPS 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:39.240 that all factor into the overall preparedness level 00:14:39.390 --> 00:14:42.950 and the ability to deal with these wildfire situations. 00:14:42.950 --> 00:14:44.570 So I know there's a lot to it, 00:14:44.570 --> 00:14:49.570 but I did want to highlight the improved performance 00:14:49.900 --> 00:14:54.900 in the area of PSPS communications and the rollout of that. 00:14:57.539 --> 00:15:02.187 You know, despite the drier conditions 00:15:02.187 --> 00:15:05.390 and the larger number of fires last year, 00:15:05.390 --> 00:15:09.110 we saw a decrease in the metric, and like for example, 00:15:09.110 --> 00:15:14.110 the hours of time totally that PSPS has were implemented. 00:15:15.330 --> 00:15:16.540 And I think that, you know, 00:15:16.540 --> 00:15:20.560 by either segmenting out key areas 00:15:20.560 --> 00:15:25.560 or micro-griding, or having the ability to keep power off 00:15:25.700 --> 00:15:27.720 at a minimum timeframe, 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:29.770 those were all very positive moves forward. 00:15:29.770 --> 00:15:33.160 And the feedback I got from local government 00:15:33.160 --> 00:15:36.000 was an improvement. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:37.560 I would not say it's perfect, 00:15:37.560 --> 00:15:41.950 and I don't think any of us are at that level, 00:15:41.950 --> 00:15:46.520 but there is continuing work and area for improvement 00:15:46.520 --> 00:15:47.670 with that. 00:15:47.670 --> 00:15:52.670 I would also say that we still are working 00:15:52.820 --> 00:15:55.210 with you all to get 00:15:57.650 --> 00:16:02.650 a better handle on providing refined GIS county level data. 00:16:02.700 --> 00:16:03.763 I know that OES 00:16:07.340 --> 00:16:10.780 does have the ability to display aggregated data 00:16:10.780 --> 00:16:14.300 from all of the IOUs on our GIS platform. 00:16:14.300 --> 00:16:17.050 We rely on the data that we get from you all, 00:16:17.050 --> 00:16:20.720 and that's important for decision makers 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:22.594 at the different levels of government 00:16:22.594 --> 00:16:25.260 to be able to determine how we're going 00:16:25.260 --> 00:16:27.360 to respond appropriately. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:32.060 And I do appreciate the ongoing effort in that area. 00:16:32.060 --> 00:16:32.893 And then lastly, 00:16:32.893 --> 00:16:35.030 I'll just close by saying, reiterating 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:38.280 President Batjer's point that, you know, 00:16:38.280 --> 00:16:40.410 ensuring that states notifications 00:16:40.410 --> 00:16:42.640 really do reflect the highest stage in which 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:48.823 PG&E has entered in its PSPS activity. 00:16:49.660 --> 00:16:53.170 In other words, PSPS has a continued need 00:16:53.170 --> 00:16:56.010 to be an effort of last resort, 00:16:56.010 --> 00:16:59.360 not an effort of first resort. 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:01.483 So all of those things collectively, 00:17:02.380 --> 00:17:05.173 the questions that Chief Berlant brought up, 00:17:06.130 --> 00:17:08.530 I look forward to learning a little bit more about today. 00:17:08.530 --> 00:17:10.190 But in general, I want to thank you all 00:17:10.190 --> 00:17:11.960 for your continued efforts 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:15.930 and try to continue to do a better job. 00:17:15.930 --> 00:17:18.386 Thanks President Batjer. 00:17:18.386 --> 00:17:20.300 Thank you very much, Director Ghilarducci. 00:17:20.300 --> 00:17:22.070 Now I will turn to my fellow Commissioners 00:17:22.070 --> 00:17:23.900 and just please speak up 00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:26.650 if you have any opening remarks you would like to make. 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:32.990 President Batjer, this is Commissioner Guzman Aceves. 00:17:32.990 --> 00:17:36.373 I just hope to hear, 00:17:37.540 --> 00:17:39.580 seeing the presentation before, just a thing 00:17:39.580 --> 00:17:41.110 that maybe in there. 00:17:41.110 --> 00:17:44.010 But I really hope that you will be presenting 00:17:44.010 --> 00:17:45.740 on the major announcement that was made 00:17:45.740 --> 00:17:47.840 on your undergrounding efforts 00:17:47.840 --> 00:17:50.350 and how those are being prioritized, 00:17:50.350 --> 00:17:53.760 how those are playing into your overall risk mitigation, 00:17:53.760 --> 00:17:56.573 in terms of reducing amount of PSPS for them. 00:17:57.540 --> 00:17:58.540 Thank you very much. 00:17:59.810 --> 00:18:02.490 Thank you, Commissioner Guzman Aceves. 00:18:02.490 --> 00:18:05.203 Any other opening comments from the Commissioners? 00:18:07.170 --> 00:18:09.340 Okay, seeing none. 00:18:09.340 --> 00:18:11.780 We will now turn to Sumeet Singh, 00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:14.390 who is the Vice President, excuse me, 00:18:14.390 --> 00:18:19.390 Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at PG&E. 00:18:19.590 --> 00:18:20.513 Mr. Singh. 00:18:22.890 --> 00:18:26.010 Good afternoon, President Batjer, 00:18:26.010 --> 00:18:29.240 respected Commissioners, Director Ghilarducci. 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:32.750 Thank you for those kind remarks. 00:18:32.750 --> 00:18:35.770 Director Thomas Jacobs, respected Cal Fire Chief, 00:18:35.770 --> 00:18:37.693 Berlant, CPC staff, 00:18:38.600 --> 00:18:41.000 my name is Sumeet Singh and I have the privilege 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:43.093 of being PG&E's chief risk officer, 00:18:44.210 --> 00:18:46.330 and sincerely thank you for the opportunity to engage 00:18:46.330 --> 00:18:48.810 in today's session, to discuss our preparedness 00:18:48.810 --> 00:18:51.653 for public safety power shutoffs, in 2021. 00:18:52.840 --> 00:18:57.840 We continue to have a singular focus on operating safely 00:18:58.130 --> 00:19:01.550 in light of the growing wildfire threat 00:19:01.550 --> 00:19:03.723 from the Western U.S. and in California. 00:19:05.210 --> 00:19:07.583 Following last year's wildfire season, 00:19:08.870 --> 00:19:13.580 you spoke to this, Chief Berlant and President Batjer, 00:19:13.580 --> 00:19:15.860 the drier than average winter and spring seasons, 00:19:15.860 --> 00:19:18.080 and this summer, already being a very challenging 00:19:18.080 --> 00:19:19.250 wildfire season, 00:19:19.250 --> 00:19:21.510 we fully understand the tremendous responsibility 00:19:21.510 --> 00:19:25.033 that we have in preventing catastrophic wildfires. 00:19:26.210 --> 00:19:28.940 Public safety power shutoffs are a necessary tool 00:19:30.070 --> 00:19:32.300 in preventing catastrophic wildfires, 00:19:32.300 --> 00:19:37.000 and will only be used as a measure of last resort 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:40.730 and never a measure of first resort, 00:19:40.730 --> 00:19:43.068 especially in this environment. 00:19:43.068 --> 00:19:46.570 We know how disruptive it is to lose power, 00:19:46.570 --> 00:19:48.950 and we've been working nonstop to ease the burden 00:19:48.950 --> 00:19:49.983 on our customers and our communities 00:19:49.983 --> 00:19:51.883 that we have the privilege of serving. 00:19:53.390 --> 00:19:54.223 Now in August, 00:19:54.223 --> 00:19:56.420 we were fast approaching the time of year 00:19:56.420 --> 00:19:58.460 when PSPS is more likely, 00:19:58.460 --> 00:20:01.260 and we know how important it is to be ready. 00:20:01.260 --> 00:20:04.070 We're committed to keeping our community safe, 00:20:04.070 --> 00:20:06.103 and we'll be providing an update today, 00:20:07.040 --> 00:20:08.373 in really three areas. 00:20:09.560 --> 00:20:14.533 First is our PSPS 2021 decision making criteria, 00:20:15.820 --> 00:20:18.530 and I will directly address the comment to 00:20:18.530 --> 00:20:22.000 Director Jacob Thomas that you had requested 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:26.543 on the impact of the federal court recommendation. 00:20:27.750 --> 00:20:29.410 Second area we're gonna focus on, 00:20:29.410 --> 00:20:31.570 is how we plan to reduce PSPS impacts 00:20:31.570 --> 00:20:33.260 as a result of the operational infrastructure 00:20:33.260 --> 00:20:34.810 improvements that we're making. 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:37.350 And third, 00:20:37.350 --> 00:20:40.900 how we will provide better support for our customers 00:20:40.900 --> 00:20:42.923 and our communities during PSPS events. 00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:47.163 We're continuing to learn, evolve and get better. 00:20:48.860 --> 00:20:50.010 Working around the clock 00:20:50.010 --> 00:20:53.220 and very hard to be as prepared as possible 00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:55.960 for PSPS events this coming season. 00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:58.950 So joining me today are Shawn Holder, 00:20:58.950 --> 00:21:01.490 from our PSPS planning team, 00:21:01.490 --> 00:21:04.803 Scott Strenfel from our meteorology and fire science team, 00:21:05.994 --> 00:21:09.020 at Elis Hunter from our agency outreach team 00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:12.080 and Tracy Martechulum, and Vanessa Bryan 00:21:12.080 --> 00:21:14.490 with with our local customer experience team. 00:21:14.490 --> 00:21:17.860 So we'll be looking to my colleagues 00:21:17.860 --> 00:21:22.143 on a number of questions and as we get into the discussion. 00:21:23.690 --> 00:21:25.590 So if we go to the next slide, please. 00:21:28.170 --> 00:21:29.413 Thank you. 00:21:29.413 --> 00:21:31.300 So just to get a quick recap, 00:21:31.300 --> 00:21:33.427 start with the 2021 decision making criteria 00:21:33.427 --> 00:21:35.500 and the improvements that we've made, 00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:39.730 even from the April workshop that we were engaging 00:21:39.730 --> 00:21:40.863 in a discussion with. 00:21:41.780 --> 00:21:43.900 Second is the resiliency work on the infrastructure, 00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:46.067 and third is the resources and support for our customers. 00:21:46.067 --> 00:21:47.680 And we look forward to your questions 00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:49.580 and engagement during this discussion. 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:52.360 So if we go to the next slide 00:21:53.800 --> 00:21:56.440 and actually we can go to slide four. 00:21:56.440 --> 00:21:58.220 Perfect, thank you. 00:21:58.220 --> 00:22:02.040 So for context, and let me start with discussing 00:22:02.040 --> 00:22:04.540 our decision-making criteria and the improvements. 00:22:05.690 --> 00:22:07.663 For context, in 2020, 00:22:08.570 --> 00:22:13.570 the PSPS models that we were using assessed the probability 00:22:15.290 --> 00:22:18.440 of an outage due to weather, 00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:20.503 and more specifically a wind event, 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:24.270 also sometimes known as Diablo wind events 00:22:24.270 --> 00:22:25.520 in our service territory. 00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:29.840 In 2021, what we're gonna be leveraging, 00:22:29.840 --> 00:22:32.513 and I'll talk about this in a little bit more detail, 00:22:33.450 --> 00:22:36.150 is we have significantly improved 00:22:36.150 --> 00:22:38.350 our machine learning models 00:22:38.350 --> 00:22:41.280 to not only just assess the probability of an outage, 00:22:41.280 --> 00:22:44.760 but also the probability of an ignition 00:22:44.760 --> 00:22:46.440 as a result of the outage. 00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:50.980 So that's a new development for us going to 2021. 00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:55.040 And we have also been able to correlate the outages 00:22:55.040 --> 00:22:57.740 and associated ignitions by cause, 00:22:57.740 --> 00:23:00.713 such as equipment or vegetation. 00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:06.560 Our prior models basically looked at correlation of outage 00:23:06.560 --> 00:23:09.460 to wind, but did not break it down by cause. 00:23:09.460 --> 00:23:11.460 So that's the additional granularity that we have 00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:16.323 going into our PSPS forecasting models in 2021. 00:23:17.320 --> 00:23:22.120 And this is based on the ignition probability 00:23:23.040 --> 00:23:27.700 and our Fire Potential Index that could potentially 00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:30.080 result in a catastrophic wildfire. 00:23:30.080 --> 00:23:31.490 And what we call this is, 00:23:31.490 --> 00:23:33.210 our Ignition Probability Weather Model, 00:23:33.210 --> 00:23:35.777 which is what short-form is IPW, 00:23:35.777 --> 00:23:38.163 and our Fire Potential Index, which is the FPI. 00:23:40.690 --> 00:23:43.590 Both the IPW on the FPI, 00:23:43.590 --> 00:23:45.860 maximize the predictive scale 00:23:45.860 --> 00:23:48.960 by using machine learning models. 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:50.560 A lot of what we have been using 00:23:51.410 --> 00:23:53.100 for the prior two years, 00:23:53.100 --> 00:23:55.490 have been more the regression based models. 00:23:55.490 --> 00:24:00.070 And now we actually have a lot more predictive capabilities 00:24:00.070 --> 00:24:03.710 based on varying number of correlating factors 00:24:03.710 --> 00:24:07.560 of when and how wind interplays with our system, 00:24:07.560 --> 00:24:11.150 specifically, and how the vegetation in and around 00:24:11.150 --> 00:24:15.080 our system can create additional potential risk. 00:24:15.080 --> 00:24:17.640 We've also improved our ability to better assess 00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:20.300 and forecast catastrophic fire probability 00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:24.010 and behavior through the formal adoption 00:24:24.010 --> 00:24:26.870 of the Technosylva fire spread modeling. 00:24:26.870 --> 00:24:27.790 So prior to this year, 00:24:27.790 --> 00:24:31.020 we did not have Technosylva fully deployed 00:24:31.866 --> 00:24:33.970 and operationalized, which we do now, 00:24:33.970 --> 00:24:38.100 and we use that output of that fire spread modeling 00:24:38.100 --> 00:24:41.740 as a direct input into our PSPS decision-making process. 00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:43.740 So that's another change from last year. 00:24:45.825 --> 00:24:49.027 To the point that Director Thomas Jacobs made, 00:24:51.620 --> 00:24:56.340 our 2021 machine learning models also incorporate 00:24:56.340 --> 00:24:59.410 trees with the potential to strike our power lines, 00:24:59.410 --> 00:25:00.363 should they fall. 00:25:01.390 --> 00:25:04.540 So these overstrike trees will no longer be considered 00:25:04.540 --> 00:25:09.170 outside of our core PSPS decision-making model, 00:25:09.170 --> 00:25:11.930 which we discussed with you back in April. 00:25:11.930 --> 00:25:14.420 But now we have incorporated that directly 00:25:14.420 --> 00:25:17.880 into a more sophisticated machine learning framework 00:25:17.880 --> 00:25:21.200 and the primary change, if I simplify this, 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:22.960 the way to think about the discussion 00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:27.580 we had in April versus the model we have in place today, 00:25:27.580 --> 00:25:28.980 and I'll talk about the implications 00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:30.120 in a couple of slides, 00:25:30.120 --> 00:25:32.980 in terms of as a result of the change, 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:36.580 what's the impact to frequency, scope and duration? 00:25:36.580 --> 00:25:38.633 The simplistic way to think about it is, 00:25:39.620 --> 00:25:43.080 back in April, instead of just suggesting 00:25:43.080 --> 00:25:46.610 that the sheer presence of high density 00:25:46.610 --> 00:25:50.210 of strike potential trees adjacent to our trees, 00:25:50.210 --> 00:25:53.690 should result in a potential de-energization, 00:25:53.690 --> 00:25:55.870 so more of a binary condition, 00:25:55.870 --> 00:25:58.333 when minimum fire conditions specials are met. 00:25:59.520 --> 00:26:04.170 We are now incorporating the overstrike tree risk 00:26:04.170 --> 00:26:07.760 factor into our machine learning model, 00:26:07.760 --> 00:26:10.790 which not only looks at the high density 00:26:10.790 --> 00:26:12.990 of strike potential trees, 00:26:12.990 --> 00:26:17.990 but its probability of resulting in an ignition 00:26:18.090 --> 00:26:19.300 during the wind event. 00:26:19.300 --> 00:26:21.400 So that's the second step that we've taken 00:26:21.400 --> 00:26:24.960 in terms of the more sophistication of the analysis itself. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:26.560 And you'll see that play out, 00:26:26.560 --> 00:26:28.391 that it does have a lesser impact 00:26:28.391 --> 00:26:30.980 than what we had initially proposed and discussed 00:26:30.980 --> 00:26:31.813 back in April. 00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:37.640 We have also included for our distribution PSPS criteria, 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:41.160 the condition of assets and vegetation around our assets 00:26:41.160 --> 00:26:45.170 to further inform our scoping and guidance process 00:26:45.170 --> 00:26:46.003 for this year. 00:26:48.060 --> 00:26:49.780 Let me go to the next slide and I'll pause 00:26:49.780 --> 00:26:51.320 because I'm covering a lot of ground 00:26:51.320 --> 00:26:52.760 just to see if there's any questions 00:26:52.760 --> 00:26:55.480 just on the distribution, PSPS guidance 00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:58.380 before I cover transmission and what the implications are. 00:27:00.130 --> 00:27:01.683 There's a lot on this slide, 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:07.900 but really the takeaway here is that PSPS 00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:10.210 is a necessary tool of last resort, 00:27:10.210 --> 00:27:12.320 and we take many factors into consideration 00:27:12.320 --> 00:27:14.933 to decide whether to turn off power for safety. 00:27:16.330 --> 00:27:20.110 And what you see in this section is we have outlined 00:27:20.110 --> 00:27:23.160 the minimum threshold and guidance by which 00:27:23.160 --> 00:27:27.643 the decision is made to initiate a PSPS event. 00:27:28.530 --> 00:27:32.760 So if you look at the header under column one, 00:27:32.760 --> 00:27:35.493 which talks about minimum fire potential conditions. 00:27:37.140 --> 00:27:39.340 So all of these conditions must be met 00:27:39.340 --> 00:27:42.130 for us to consider a potential PSPS event. 00:27:42.130 --> 00:27:45.523 So think about this as that first gate, right? 00:27:46.710 --> 00:27:49.620 So as our methodology and fire science team 00:27:49.620 --> 00:27:51.617 is forecasting these conditions, 00:27:51.617 --> 00:27:55.660 and we have forecasts now on a rolling six day basis, 00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:59.469 which is also an additional improvement from last year. 00:27:59.469 --> 00:28:03.320 We only had visibility to by four days, 00:28:03.320 --> 00:28:06.193 and now we've got a volume forecast of about six days. 00:28:07.300 --> 00:28:10.910 So if we, at any part of our service territory, 00:28:10.910 --> 00:28:12.480 within the high fire threat district, 00:28:12.480 --> 00:28:14.320 where our overhead assets traverse 00:28:14.320 --> 00:28:16.220 meets the minimum fire potential conditions 00:28:16.220 --> 00:28:21.220 under item one, then we consider a potential PSPS. 00:28:23.730 --> 00:28:27.260 And there are several factors that are outlined 00:28:27.260 --> 00:28:29.560 on the left-hand side under column one, 00:28:29.560 --> 00:28:31.870 things like dead fuel moisture, relative humidity, 00:28:31.870 --> 00:28:34.820 live fuel moisture, all factors 00:28:34.820 --> 00:28:38.140 that go into informing our fire potential index, 00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:40.683 which is a measure of our fire spread propensity. 00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:45.440 And this year we've also expanded and calibrated 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:50.130 our fire potential index to account for topography. 00:28:50.130 --> 00:28:52.490 And we've included a historical 00:28:52.490 --> 00:28:54.960 satellite fire detection data set 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.600 that we did not have previously before 00:28:56.600 --> 00:29:01.270 to calibrate our FPI from Sonoma Technology, 00:29:01.270 --> 00:29:04.930 which includes fire growth in California 00:29:04.930 --> 00:29:06.480 from 2012 to 2020, 00:29:07.430 --> 00:29:11.393 that informs our FPI models and calibrates our FPI models. 00:29:13.610 --> 00:29:16.930 Once we meet those minimum fire potential conditions, 00:29:16.930 --> 00:29:19.890 then we go to the section on the section on the right, 00:29:19.890 --> 00:29:22.810 which is identified under item two, 00:29:22.810 --> 00:29:26.593 and there's three different elements under item two. 00:29:28.150 --> 00:29:32.130 The first item is the catastrophic fire probability, 00:29:32.130 --> 00:29:34.360 which combines our fire potential index 00:29:34.360 --> 00:29:36.700 or the fire spread propensity 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:38.483 with the ignition probability. 00:29:39.570 --> 00:29:43.300 And this is formulated based on analysis of historical 00:29:43.300 --> 00:29:45.383 outage and ignition data. 00:29:47.580 --> 00:29:51.773 We've also replaced our Black Swan condition from last year, 00:29:53.690 --> 00:29:56.210 and this is where we have directly applied the output 00:29:56.210 --> 00:29:58.470 of Technosylva fire spread model, 00:29:58.470 --> 00:30:01.070 many of you may be familiar with that modeling, 00:30:01.070 --> 00:30:04.380 that identifies instances where probability of failure 00:30:04.380 --> 00:30:08.210 is low, but the fire behavior may potentially lead 00:30:08.210 --> 00:30:11.620 to a catastrophic fire if an ignition were to occur. 00:30:11.620 --> 00:30:14.660 So the second element under that category 00:30:14.660 --> 00:30:16.650 that we considered that could include 00:30:16.650 --> 00:30:18.780 some potential parts of our system, 00:30:18.780 --> 00:30:22.110 in scope of a PSPS de-energization 00:30:23.330 --> 00:30:26.150 And then the last element, is we are also accounting 00:30:26.150 --> 00:30:30.190 for the condition of vegetation and assets 00:30:30.190 --> 00:30:32.890 to help inform the scope of our PSPS 00:30:33.740 --> 00:30:35.710 within our distribution system, 00:30:35.710 --> 00:30:40.710 we have taken this entire PSPS guidance model 00:30:41.690 --> 00:30:45.360 that we use, and we have conducted and calibrated this 00:30:45.360 --> 00:30:48.040 with a look back analysis or what we call backcast 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:51.690 to understand which historiCal Fires would be captured 00:30:51.690 --> 00:30:53.073 with this criteria. 00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:57.370 And we've used the U.S. forest services data set of fires, 00:30:57.370 --> 00:31:02.310 of greater than a thousand acres from 2012 to 2020. 00:31:02.310 --> 00:31:06.500 And that's really the premise by which we have substantiated 00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:09.750 the calibration of the model as well as incorporation 00:31:09.750 --> 00:31:12.560 of the enhancements and really focused 00:31:12.560 --> 00:31:16.800 on the use of PSPS as a measure of last resort 00:31:16.800 --> 00:31:20.063 to mitigate wind driven fires. 00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:24.160 We also know, right, as we look at what happened 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:25.170 August of last year, 00:31:25.170 --> 00:31:26.630 with the many lightening caused fires 00:31:26.630 --> 00:31:29.950 in our service territory and what's occurring right now, 00:31:29.950 --> 00:31:32.440 there's also a phenomenon of the hot summer day 00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:37.140 or fuel driven fire without that wind condition, 00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:42.140 and PSPS obviously is not an appropriate mitigation 00:31:42.230 --> 00:31:43.793 for those types of fires. 00:31:47.050 --> 00:31:49.210 Let me cover one more slide on the strike potential tree, 00:31:49.210 --> 00:31:50.910 and then I'll pause, because it's also pertains 00:31:50.910 --> 00:31:52.280 to our distribution criteria. 00:31:52.280 --> 00:31:54.103 So could go to the next slide, please. 00:31:56.330 --> 00:31:57.330 Thank you. 00:31:57.330 --> 00:31:59.250 So in April, 00:31:59.250 --> 00:32:04.250 the federal court overseeing our probation issued a order 00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:07.250 recommending, but not requiring, 00:32:07.250 --> 00:32:09.730 that we account for trees that are tall enough 00:32:09.730 --> 00:32:12.280 to strike our power lines on the distribution side 00:32:13.180 --> 00:32:16.063 when deciding whether to turn off power for safety. 00:32:17.450 --> 00:32:18.530 As I mentioned earlier, 00:32:18.530 --> 00:32:21.530 our ignition probability model, in 2021, 00:32:21.530 --> 00:32:25.300 the machine learning model now incorporates that factor, 00:32:25.300 --> 00:32:28.370 but does it in a much more sophisticated way 00:32:28.370 --> 00:32:30.880 'cause it's not the binary trigger, 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:33.760 but a more of a probabilistic analysis 00:32:36.080 --> 00:32:38.280 in a continuous fashion and the machine learning 00:32:38.280 --> 00:32:42.500 framework to substantiate the inclusion of those 00:32:43.940 --> 00:32:46.700 high density areas that have a strike potential, 00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:48.740 but also have a high correlation with wind 00:32:48.740 --> 00:32:49.820 that can create an outage 00:32:49.820 --> 00:32:51.570 and result in a potential ignition. 00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:54.600 And we use the machine learning to predict 00:32:54.600 --> 00:32:56.880 the probability of an ignition 00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:00.068 that results from the different types of system damage 00:33:00.068 --> 00:33:01.973 such as vegetation contact. 00:33:03.600 --> 00:33:05.510 I think as we've discussed previously, 00:33:05.510 --> 00:33:10.440 we use the area LIDAR data that we have collected 00:33:10.440 --> 00:33:14.030 to give us the input on the tree overstrike data, 00:33:14.030 --> 00:33:15.960 and then correlate that to relevant outages 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:18.910 based on wind, and then the volume of the overstrike 00:33:18.910 --> 00:33:22.070 from the trees influences a probability of an outage 00:33:22.070 --> 00:33:24.657 and the associated ignition in a very localized area. 00:33:24.657 --> 00:33:28.600 And we predict this on a two kilometer by two kilometer 00:33:28.600 --> 00:33:31.880 grid cell across our high fire threat districts 00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:33.990 where our assets traverse. 00:33:33.990 --> 00:33:37.360 So that's the forecasting resolution that we have 00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:38.567 and that's how it's incorporated 00:33:38.567 --> 00:33:41.320 within the decision making criteria. 00:33:41.320 --> 00:33:43.260 So let me pause there. 00:33:43.260 --> 00:33:44.720 We covered quite a bit of ground 00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:47.550 on our changes on the distribution criteria, 00:33:47.550 --> 00:33:50.390 and also wanted to make sure that this helped 00:33:52.470 --> 00:33:54.880 being responsive to some of the questions you had 00:33:54.880 --> 00:33:58.610 on how we're considering the federal court recommendation. 00:33:58.610 --> 00:34:02.600 I haven't yet touched on the implications of this 00:34:02.600 --> 00:34:04.370 from scope, frequency and duration. 00:34:04.370 --> 00:34:05.750 I'm gonna get to that in two slides, 00:34:05.750 --> 00:34:07.290 but let me pause there to see if there's any questions 00:34:07.290 --> 00:34:08.123 so far. 00:34:11.258 --> 00:34:14.180 Sumeet, on your slide, 00:34:14.180 --> 00:34:17.380 one slide above, under vegetation 00:34:17.380 --> 00:34:19.183 and asset hazard conditions. 00:34:20.350 --> 00:34:22.803 What is a known high priority issue? 00:34:24.620 --> 00:34:26.290 Yeah, thank you Commissioner for that question. 00:34:26.290 --> 00:34:30.410 So a known high priority issue could be 00:34:30.410 --> 00:34:35.410 that we potentially have a tree 00:34:35.530 --> 00:34:39.380 that may be nearing its minimum forefoot 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:43.100 clearance requirements, 00:34:43.100 --> 00:34:46.840 and we have identified it as a priority tag 00:34:46.840 --> 00:34:49.540 within our work execution process. 00:34:49.540 --> 00:34:53.140 We typically have 30 days to remediate 00:34:53.140 --> 00:34:54.870 that type of an issue. 00:34:54.870 --> 00:34:58.920 And what we would do in this instance is, as we are 00:34:58.920 --> 00:35:02.050 forecasting the minimum fire potential conditions, 00:35:02.050 --> 00:35:06.010 any areas where we have those high priority tags, 00:35:06.010 --> 00:35:10.260 we're gonna be dispatching our crews safely to be able 00:35:10.260 --> 00:35:14.406 to mitigate and accelerate that 30 day window 00:35:14.406 --> 00:35:17.360 into within the next 24 to 48 hours, 00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:21.110 before we start to see the adverse wind condition 00:35:21.110 --> 00:35:23.470 traverse our service territory. 00:35:23.470 --> 00:35:27.210 And what this is recognizing is in the instance 00:35:27.210 --> 00:35:30.520 that we have a fairly large event 00:35:30.520 --> 00:35:34.150 that is forecasted, and we are not able to safely 00:35:34.150 --> 00:35:37.950 execute against remediating all of those priority tags 00:35:37.950 --> 00:35:42.010 that are on a 30 or 60 day remediation schedule, 00:35:42.010 --> 00:35:45.190 we potentially would consider those small sections 00:35:45.190 --> 00:35:50.190 of a system to be de-energized as a measure of last resort. 00:35:54.330 --> 00:35:55.875 Thank you. 00:35:55.875 --> 00:35:56.823 Yes sir. 00:35:59.260 --> 00:36:00.260 I have a question. 00:36:03.757 --> 00:36:05.720 What is on item three? 00:36:05.720 --> 00:36:09.893 It's on where would power be turned off? 00:36:10.760 --> 00:36:13.957 And then it says, "Power is turned off 00:36:13.957 --> 00:36:18.587 "if the criteria are met for more than 25, 00:36:18.587 --> 00:36:21.387 "two kilometer by two kilometers grid cells." 00:36:22.510 --> 00:36:27.510 So is it, power turned off for those specific red zones? 00:36:32.310 --> 00:36:33.610 Okay, is it gonna be turned off 00:36:33.610 --> 00:36:38.230 Is there more than 25, two kilometers by two kilometers 00:36:38.230 --> 00:36:43.230 that's contiguous, non-contiguous 00:36:45.060 --> 00:36:47.593 and then are those the grids that are turned off? 00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:52.193 So thank you Commissioner for that question. 00:36:54.910 --> 00:36:57.130 Just back up in terms of context, right? 00:36:57.130 --> 00:37:02.130 So when you look at the overlay of our geographic 00:37:03.640 --> 00:37:08.287 footprint in our service territory and where our 25,500 00:37:08.287 --> 00:37:11.200 miles of distribution, overhead miles traverse, 00:37:11.200 --> 00:37:13.650 and our 5,500 miles of transmission lines traverse 00:37:13.650 --> 00:37:15.850 all in the high fire threat districts, 00:37:15.850 --> 00:37:19.030 we have about 10,000, 00:37:19.030 --> 00:37:21.620 two kilometer by two kilometer grid cells, right? 00:37:21.620 --> 00:37:24.840 So think about that land area and the intersection 00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:26.480 of those two data sets. 00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:29.020 And what we have done is as part of our meteorological 00:37:29.020 --> 00:37:31.610 forecasting capability in essence, 00:37:31.610 --> 00:37:33.650 identified and drawn out those two kilometer 00:37:33.650 --> 00:37:35.640 by two kilometer grid cells. 00:37:35.640 --> 00:37:39.163 And we forecast what each of those grid cells, 00:37:40.040 --> 00:37:42.100 the minimum fire potential conditions, 00:37:42.100 --> 00:37:44.530 which is highlighted under item one, 00:37:44.530 --> 00:37:46.410 if that stage gate is met 00:37:46.410 --> 00:37:49.380 for any of those 10,000 grid cells, 00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:51.680 we go to stage gate two, 00:37:51.680 --> 00:37:54.140 we look at those three elements and identify 00:37:54.140 --> 00:37:56.810 if any of those conditions are met, 00:37:56.810 --> 00:38:00.950 if they have, then we consider that 00:38:00.950 --> 00:38:05.780 should we be calling for a potential PSPS. 00:38:05.780 --> 00:38:09.560 And where the number of 25 comes in, Commissioner, 00:38:09.560 --> 00:38:12.330 is at times we will see that we may have 00:38:12.330 --> 00:38:16.170 one or two grid cells that out of the 10,000 00:38:16.170 --> 00:38:20.430 that go above guidance and based on the calibration 00:38:20.430 --> 00:38:23.630 of historiCal fires of consequence, right? 00:38:23.630 --> 00:38:28.630 The 2012 to 2020 data set from the U.S. forest services 00:38:28.910 --> 00:38:30.960 within 1,000 acres and the Sonoma Technology, 00:38:30.960 --> 00:38:32.800 data set that I was talking about, 00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:34.150 we have landed on that, 00:38:34.150 --> 00:38:37.370 when you look at about 25 grid cells, 00:38:37.370 --> 00:38:39.890 it starts to give us that level of confidence 00:38:39.890 --> 00:38:43.920 that we're looking at a potential wind event 00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:48.540 that could create a catastrophic wildfire risk. 00:38:48.540 --> 00:38:50.430 So that's basically the way to think about it 00:38:50.430 --> 00:38:53.830 is those 25 grid cells out of those 10,000, 00:38:53.830 --> 00:38:55.900 and we use this as directional guidance, right? 00:38:55.900 --> 00:39:00.429 Because we obviously have our meteorological scientists 00:39:00.429 --> 00:39:04.272 who are using this along with their expertise, 00:39:04.272 --> 00:39:08.890 to identify if this is a kind of a one-off 00:39:08.890 --> 00:39:10.691 or is this a potential event 00:39:10.691 --> 00:39:12.670 that we need to be concerned about 00:39:12.670 --> 00:39:16.440 from a shutoff perspective and in most cases, 00:39:16.440 --> 00:39:18.760 we typically see that, 00:39:18.760 --> 00:39:21.810 especially when you look at the Diablo wind pattern, 00:39:21.810 --> 00:39:23.950 which is coming in off shore, 00:39:23.950 --> 00:39:28.650 that some of these grid cells tend to be more consolidated, 00:39:28.650 --> 00:39:31.040 but it does not necessarily have to be 00:39:31.040 --> 00:39:35.140 completely concentrated in one geographic area. 00:39:35.140 --> 00:39:37.970 But the typical pattern that we see with the offshore wind 00:39:37.970 --> 00:39:40.460 is the wind starts kind of in the Northern portion 00:39:40.460 --> 00:39:42.090 of our service territory, 00:39:42.090 --> 00:39:44.030 and if it continues to be a stronger event, 00:39:44.030 --> 00:39:46.610 it moves into the North Bay area and then it moves 00:39:46.610 --> 00:39:47.910 into kind of the Bay area, right? 00:39:47.910 --> 00:39:50.140 That's the typical pattern that we've seen 00:39:50.140 --> 00:39:52.570 as we've studied these offshore wind events. 00:39:52.570 --> 00:39:56.664 So we typically see more of this concentration of this 00:39:56.664 --> 00:40:00.350 in a geographic area of the 25 grid cells, 00:40:00.350 --> 00:40:02.650 but it depends on the strength of the wind event. 00:40:02.650 --> 00:40:04.700 In some cases on larger events, 00:40:04.700 --> 00:40:08.370 we've seen pixels far greater than 25 00:40:08.370 --> 00:40:11.700 that potentially meet our criteria 00:40:11.700 --> 00:40:13.310 in the Northern part of the service territory, 00:40:13.310 --> 00:40:16.780 in the North Bay, as well as in the Bay area. 00:40:16.780 --> 00:40:20.700 So the October event of 2019 and 2020 as an example 00:40:20.700 --> 00:40:22.200 would fall into that category. 00:40:24.090 --> 00:40:25.180 Okay, okay. 00:40:25.180 --> 00:40:30.180 So this now informs the decision as to 00:40:30.320 --> 00:40:35.320 where and if a PSPS is called. 00:40:35.640 --> 00:40:40.600 It doesn't set up this specific geographical area, 00:40:40.600 --> 00:40:45.600 necessarily, it informs that next step of decision-making. 00:40:46.790 --> 00:40:48.110 That's correct Commissioner, 00:40:48.110 --> 00:40:52.480 because then once we get that kind of the forecasted pixels, 00:40:52.480 --> 00:40:56.710 then that's overlaid with our actual electrical circuit, 00:40:56.710 --> 00:40:59.180 and then we look at the intersection 00:40:59.180 --> 00:41:01.330 of the electrical circuit with those grid cells 00:41:01.330 --> 00:41:04.870 to identify what are the closest isolation points 00:41:04.870 --> 00:41:08.870 so that we can minimize the impact to our customers 00:41:08.870 --> 00:41:13.000 and only focus on that area and target the area 00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:14.293 that's most at risk. 00:41:20.259 --> 00:41:22.260 Sumeet, I have another question. 00:41:22.260 --> 00:41:23.825 Commissioner. 00:41:23.825 --> 00:41:26.500 In your ignition probability weather model, 00:41:26.500 --> 00:41:30.580 you talk about logging on the past 30 years of weather data, 00:41:30.580 --> 00:41:34.010 but weighting data from recent years more heavily 00:41:34.010 --> 00:41:36.560 to talk about how the system might be different 00:41:36.560 --> 00:41:38.880 because you've hardened the grid. 00:41:38.880 --> 00:41:43.810 How are you weighting the very recent climate changes 00:41:43.810 --> 00:41:47.580 and the likelihood of unpredictable extreme events 00:41:47.580 --> 00:41:50.280 apart from the Technosylva model, 00:41:50.280 --> 00:41:52.660 which deals with black swan events, 00:41:52.660 --> 00:41:57.330 how are you building into this IPW the base model? 00:41:57.330 --> 00:42:02.330 The fact that the weather events of the past 30 years 00:42:03.010 --> 00:42:04.930 may not be very predictive, 00:42:04.930 --> 00:42:06.390 or increasingly less predictive 00:42:06.390 --> 00:42:07.990 than what's happening right now. 00:42:09.310 --> 00:42:11.510 Commissioner, thank you for that question. 00:42:13.001 --> 00:42:15.710 At the moment, you know, and what we've done is, 00:42:15.710 --> 00:42:20.060 we're not just looking at just the entirety of 30 years, 00:42:20.060 --> 00:42:23.300 we look at within those 30 years, 00:42:23.300 --> 00:42:28.300 what were those worst fire day conditions? 00:42:28.630 --> 00:42:33.010 And we've identified more than 450 plus days 00:42:33.010 --> 00:42:34.960 or that 30 year data set, 00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:37.120 and many of those, obviously, you know, 00:42:37.120 --> 00:42:39.620 more recent because you know, 00:42:39.620 --> 00:42:42.030 it wasn't uncommon as I've engaged 00:42:42.030 --> 00:42:43.380 with a meteorology team, 00:42:43.380 --> 00:42:44.730 for them to share that we're looking 00:42:44.730 --> 00:42:46.370 at a one in 30 year event, 00:42:46.370 --> 00:42:49.290 but, you know, we look at that same one in 30 year event, 00:42:49.290 --> 00:42:50.330 two years after, right? 00:42:50.330 --> 00:42:53.990 So going forward, it's not really a one in 30 year event, 00:42:53.990 --> 00:42:55.970 although historically it may be. 00:42:55.970 --> 00:43:00.970 So a lot of the modeling that we do has been looking at 00:43:01.060 --> 00:43:05.550 the worst conditions of those last 30 years. 00:43:05.550 --> 00:43:08.140 And typically what we've seen is that 00:43:08.140 --> 00:43:11.140 October wind event in 2019, you know, 00:43:11.140 --> 00:43:12.870 that we all experienced, 00:43:12.870 --> 00:43:14.340 I believe it was October 26th, 00:43:14.340 --> 00:43:16.860 was actually one of the more significant wind events, 00:43:16.860 --> 00:43:21.430 and many of our, you know, perspective modeling 00:43:21.430 --> 00:43:23.777 is kind of based on, you know, 00:43:23.777 --> 00:43:26.980 that worst kind of a condition day. 00:43:26.980 --> 00:43:28.890 Now we also have, you know, 00:43:28.890 --> 00:43:32.100 an additional study that we're doing with a third party lab 00:43:32.100 --> 00:43:35.790 to look at kind of the forecasted element of this 00:43:35.790 --> 00:43:37.840 to try to get some insights on, 00:43:37.840 --> 00:43:40.550 when we think about the Diablo wind patterns, 00:43:40.550 --> 00:43:42.450 do they anticipate to get worse, you know, 00:43:42.450 --> 00:43:44.280 put aside the fuel condition, 00:43:44.280 --> 00:43:45.780 to the point that you made, 00:43:45.780 --> 00:43:48.820 because that's coming in from the remote sensing devices 00:43:48.820 --> 00:43:51.580 that we worked with Technosylva on to give us insights 00:43:51.580 --> 00:43:54.130 about vegetation, the dead fuel moisture, 00:43:54.130 --> 00:43:55.102 the live fuel moisture 00:43:55.102 --> 00:43:57.500 because that's key on the fire spread. 00:43:57.500 --> 00:43:59.270 Because what we're seeing now is, you know, 00:43:59.270 --> 00:44:01.040 as compared to last year, 00:44:01.040 --> 00:44:03.520 what was maybe a fire addition last year, 00:44:03.520 --> 00:44:06.150 now potentially can turn into a catastrophic fire 00:44:06.150 --> 00:44:10.720 because of that sheer factor of the drought condition, 00:44:10.720 --> 00:44:13.510 but not necessarily because of that wind factor, 00:44:13.510 --> 00:44:15.590 from a climatology perspective. 00:44:15.590 --> 00:44:17.850 So we have additional studies that we're doing 00:44:17.850 --> 00:44:20.210 not just to rely on the 30 year data set, 00:44:20.210 --> 00:44:23.810 but also look at it more in a forward-looking basis, 00:44:23.810 --> 00:44:26.070 so we can continue to feed into this 00:44:26.070 --> 00:44:27.950 more predictive capabilities, 00:44:27.950 --> 00:44:30.810 as opposed to just relying on historical data sets. 00:44:30.810 --> 00:44:33.400 But we've got Scott Strenful, our chief meteorologist 00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:34.233 on as well. 00:44:34.233 --> 00:44:36.280 So I can invite him to see if he wanted 00:44:36.280 --> 00:44:38.990 to add anything to that response. 00:44:38.990 --> 00:44:39.823 Scott. 00:44:41.444 --> 00:44:44.440 Thanks Sumeet, just doing a mic check, can you hear me? 00:44:44.440 --> 00:44:45.273 Yes sir. 00:44:46.680 --> 00:44:47.513 Yeah, great. 00:44:47.513 --> 00:44:49.473 It's an excellent question. 00:44:52.570 --> 00:44:54.110 Basically I have two points on that. 00:44:54.110 --> 00:44:56.860 So in order to test 00:44:56.860 --> 00:45:01.020 if the IPW or initial probability weather model 00:45:01.020 --> 00:45:04.110 is predictive of the future, essentially, 00:45:04.110 --> 00:45:08.050 we tested that by training the model using outages 00:45:08.050 --> 00:45:11.440 of ignitions from 2008 to 2019, 00:45:11.440 --> 00:45:13.160 and then we presented the model, 00:45:13.160 --> 00:45:16.110 we basically did a train test split ratio 00:45:16.110 --> 00:45:18.693 and tested the model against 2020, actuals: 00:45:20.090 --> 00:45:21.920 actual outages, actual admissions, 00:45:21.920 --> 00:45:24.280 and prove that the model performs relatively 00:45:24.280 --> 00:45:26.250 or really well. 00:45:26.250 --> 00:45:30.420 And so essentially we have competence based in that testing 00:45:30.420 --> 00:45:33.207 that it will work well in the future for 2021. 00:45:33.207 --> 00:45:37.520 And before we put it into operational use for 2021, 00:45:37.520 --> 00:45:41.500 we brought back in 2020 into the training data sets. 00:45:41.500 --> 00:45:43.523 So that hopefully answers that question. 00:45:44.700 --> 00:45:46.390 Another question about climate change 00:45:46.390 --> 00:45:47.790 in general is that, you know, 00:45:47.790 --> 00:45:52.360 our forecast models that we're using 00:45:52.360 --> 00:45:54.493 account for climate change on the fly. 00:45:55.510 --> 00:45:56.670 If you think about climate, 00:45:56.670 --> 00:45:59.510 it's the aggregation of weather events. 00:45:59.510 --> 00:46:03.010 And so some of the data that's shown here, 00:46:03.010 --> 00:46:04.540 like our dead fuel moisture, 00:46:04.540 --> 00:46:06.590 our live fuel moisture models, 00:46:06.590 --> 00:46:08.340 they essentially have memory. 00:46:08.340 --> 00:46:10.800 They take into account antecedent conditions. 00:46:10.800 --> 00:46:14.800 So they essentially know that we went through 00:46:14.800 --> 00:46:16.707 a below normal rain season, 00:46:16.707 --> 00:46:19.070 that it'd been hotter and drier than normal, 00:46:19.070 --> 00:46:21.130 and that's why some of our dead fuel in live fuel 00:46:21.130 --> 00:46:23.950 moisture models and the fire potential index itself 00:46:25.080 --> 00:46:27.020 is essentially a month ahead of schedule, 00:46:27.020 --> 00:46:31.210 which partly explains why we're seeing the fire conditions 00:46:31.210 --> 00:46:32.773 that we're seeing right now. 00:46:33.820 --> 00:46:35.530 And so that that's taken into account, 00:46:35.530 --> 00:46:37.880 and as we move into the future, right, 00:46:37.880 --> 00:46:41.417 those conditions are already kind of baked, in if you will. 00:46:41.417 --> 00:46:43.760 And then when we see a window then on the horizon, 00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:46.760 that's already worked into the global weather models 00:46:46.760 --> 00:46:50.860 that are ran by NOAA, that initializes, 00:46:50.860 --> 00:46:53.030 and is our base state for our high resolution 00:46:53.030 --> 00:46:53.863 weather models. 00:46:53.863 --> 00:46:57.630 So in a going forward basis, climate change, 00:46:57.630 --> 00:46:59.300 at least from a forecast perspective, 00:46:59.300 --> 00:47:02.463 is baked in dynamically into this framework. 00:47:08.950 --> 00:47:12.700 Well, I don't have answers at the expert level 00:47:12.700 --> 00:47:14.636 that you're talking about Scott. 00:47:14.636 --> 00:47:18.010 It's a really hard problem. 00:47:18.010 --> 00:47:21.290 I just know we had a one in 35 year weather event, 00:47:21.290 --> 00:47:24.920 heat storm last summer, and it's just as hot this summer. 00:47:24.920 --> 00:47:27.860 And we broke record temperatures in the Northwest 00:47:27.860 --> 00:47:29.540 by 40 degrees. 00:47:29.540 --> 00:47:31.330 The fire season was predicted, you know, 00:47:31.330 --> 00:47:35.703 the size of the fire storms were expected to double 00:47:39.715 --> 00:47:44.120 in 30, 35 years by mid-century, they doubled in two years, 00:47:44.120 --> 00:47:46.440 and now this year we already have more wildfires. 00:47:46.440 --> 00:47:49.547 Inevitably, we had a historic drought in the 2010 00:47:49.547 --> 00:47:51.700 and now we have another historic drought. 00:47:51.700 --> 00:47:55.090 So it's a really difficult challenge, 00:47:55.090 --> 00:47:57.140 and I just hope we can use whatever 00:47:57.140 --> 00:47:59.370 downscale climate monitoring is available 00:47:59.370 --> 00:48:02.823 and do the best we can and have a lot of humility about it. 00:48:04.640 --> 00:48:05.520 Well, thank you Commissioner. 00:48:05.520 --> 00:48:08.160 I'll just add, the last one I would add about this is, 00:48:08.160 --> 00:48:10.653 we don't claim to have that crystal ball. 00:48:12.740 --> 00:48:14.660 What we're basically putting forward is, 00:48:14.660 --> 00:48:17.003 we're leveraging the best available science, 00:48:17.951 --> 00:48:21.050 and we're bringing to bear the best minds, 00:48:21.050 --> 00:48:23.780 the best analytics to be able to help give us 00:48:23.780 --> 00:48:27.240 the appropriate predictive capacity and capability. 00:48:27.240 --> 00:48:29.362 And you know, what Scott spoke to, 00:48:29.362 --> 00:48:31.630 in terms of that forecasting capability, 00:48:31.630 --> 00:48:34.310 it's more in that near real-time space, right? 00:48:34.310 --> 00:48:39.310 Which is T plus 72, T plus 96 hours. 00:48:39.750 --> 00:48:41.750 But ultimately, you know, in terms of your question, 00:48:41.750 --> 00:48:45.160 and the broader question of the implications 00:48:45.160 --> 00:48:47.410 of climate change and how we're looking 00:48:47.410 --> 00:48:49.900 to incorporate that into all of our decision-making, 00:48:49.900 --> 00:48:52.100 including our resiliency plans. 00:48:52.100 --> 00:48:53.770 That's the work I was speaking to 00:48:53.770 --> 00:48:54.623 in terms of the work that we're doing 00:48:54.623 --> 00:48:56.830 with the national lab, 00:48:56.830 --> 00:48:58.450 to be able to bring some additional, you know, 00:48:58.450 --> 00:49:01.200 scientists and minds to bear, 00:49:01.200 --> 00:49:03.050 to be able to help them look at that crystal ball, 00:49:03.050 --> 00:49:06.370 at least paint a scenario, not necessarily a point forecast, 00:49:06.370 --> 00:49:09.160 but what does that range of potential outcomes look like? 00:49:09.160 --> 00:49:11.410 So that we can start to incorporate that 00:49:11.410 --> 00:49:12.790 into our decision-making, 00:49:12.790 --> 00:49:15.050 as we think about hardening the grid, 00:49:15.050 --> 00:49:18.260 where to do that, where to do the priority when to do it, 00:49:18.260 --> 00:49:21.280 and when we think about those resiliency standards 00:49:21.280 --> 00:49:22.810 and the standards that we're looking to build to 00:49:22.810 --> 00:49:25.780 are not for the climate change we're experiencing today, 00:49:25.780 --> 00:49:28.333 but the climate change we're gonna experience in the future. 00:49:30.090 --> 00:49:30.923 Thank you. 00:49:32.274 --> 00:49:33.107 Sure. 00:49:34.342 --> 00:49:38.210 Sumeet, I have a very simplistic question to ask. 00:49:39.960 --> 00:49:41.075 Sure. 00:49:41.075 --> 00:49:42.550 And it might even seem silly, 00:49:42.550 --> 00:49:47.120 but all of the information that you've gathered, 00:49:47.120 --> 00:49:51.935 which is quite amazing, I mean, in terms of volume, 00:49:51.935 --> 00:49:56.093 on the PSPS guidance overview, 00:49:57.060 --> 00:50:00.910 who finally at PG&E makes the decision 00:50:00.910 --> 00:50:05.910 on whether or not to just not notice a PSPS, 00:50:07.020 --> 00:50:09.033 but actually de-energize? 00:50:10.610 --> 00:50:11.950 Thank you president, for that question. 00:50:11.950 --> 00:50:16.130 So the ultimate decision gets made by a position 00:50:16.130 --> 00:50:19.190 that's codified in our procedures, 00:50:19.190 --> 00:50:22.853 it's called OIC, our officer in charge, 00:50:23.700 --> 00:50:27.193 and that it requires a senior executive. 00:50:28.310 --> 00:50:32.130 In the last year, it was our senior vice president 00:50:32.130 --> 00:50:35.530 of electric operations who since retired. 00:50:35.530 --> 00:50:40.310 So I will be taking this position on for our PSPS events, 00:50:40.310 --> 00:50:43.890 along with some of our other senior executives. 00:50:43.890 --> 00:50:46.290 We obviously have, you know, 00:50:46.290 --> 00:50:48.520 many new leaders that have joined the company, 00:50:48.520 --> 00:50:50.540 many senior executives that have come outside 00:50:50.540 --> 00:50:52.020 of the company, as you know. 00:50:52.020 --> 00:50:56.080 So our intent is to have a robust transition 00:50:56.080 --> 00:50:59.300 and training plan before we, you know, 00:50:59.300 --> 00:51:00.830 kind of Knight someone, you know, 00:51:00.830 --> 00:51:03.120 that's certified to be an OIC. 00:51:03.120 --> 00:51:06.840 So given my experience, working with PSPS events in 2019, 00:51:06.840 --> 00:51:08.787 and then as I reengaged back in the organization, 00:51:08.787 --> 00:51:11.100 after I left with for a brief stint 00:51:11.100 --> 00:51:13.010 in August of last year. 00:51:13.010 --> 00:51:15.890 I will be the officer in charge for PSPS events in 2021. 00:51:18.301 --> 00:51:19.510 Okay. 00:51:19.510 --> 00:51:20.343 Thank you. 00:51:21.320 --> 00:51:22.153 Pleasure. 00:51:24.470 --> 00:51:26.270 Me, Caroline. 00:51:26.270 --> 00:51:29.253 One question for you on the wind speed. 00:51:30.350 --> 00:51:35.350 Is there any differentiation for that parameter 00:51:35.390 --> 00:51:38.217 based on either the location, 00:51:38.217 --> 00:51:41.070 the tree types, or vegetation types I should say, 00:51:41.070 --> 00:51:45.500 or asset types, or is that a strict 19 miles per hour 00:51:45.500 --> 00:51:48.083 for any situation? 00:51:49.670 --> 00:51:51.126 So Caroline, the way to think about it, 00:51:51.126 --> 00:51:55.080 thank you for that question, is that 19 mile an hour 00:51:55.080 --> 00:51:57.900 is that first gate, right? 00:51:57.900 --> 00:52:00.520 Because these minimum fire potential conditions 00:52:00.520 --> 00:52:02.010 are ends, right? 00:52:02.010 --> 00:52:04.320 Meaning you've got the 90 mile an hour sustained 00:52:04.320 --> 00:52:05.550 across the service territory, 00:52:05.550 --> 00:52:08.680 and you've got the other parameters related 00:52:08.680 --> 00:52:12.120 to the FPI or fire potential index that are included. 00:52:12.120 --> 00:52:14.290 So then when you move over to the second box 00:52:14.290 --> 00:52:16.940 and the first element around the catastrophic 00:52:16.940 --> 00:52:19.730 fire probability, then we start looking at it 00:52:19.730 --> 00:52:23.150 because it's built into the ignition probability model. 00:52:23.150 --> 00:52:25.170 So we may have a specific circuit 00:52:25.170 --> 00:52:27.720 in the Northern part of our service territory, 00:52:27.720 --> 00:52:32.330 because of the risk associated with a high volume 00:52:32.330 --> 00:52:34.250 of strike potential trees 00:52:34.250 --> 00:52:38.060 and the likelihood of a vegetation contact, 00:52:38.060 --> 00:52:41.680 it may be that the trigger gets identified 00:52:41.680 --> 00:52:45.880 at 25 miles an hour, sustained wind. 00:52:45.880 --> 00:52:47.590 And in other part of the service territory, 00:52:47.590 --> 00:52:49.520 call it maybe closer to the Bay area, 00:52:49.520 --> 00:52:52.650 that number may be closer to 30 miles an hour, right? 00:52:52.650 --> 00:52:55.420 So then after we pass the gate one 00:52:55.420 --> 00:52:57.270 to get to kind of that criteria 00:52:57.270 --> 00:52:59.950 of the catastrophic fire probability, 00:52:59.950 --> 00:53:03.370 which is the ignition probability times the consequence, 00:53:03.370 --> 00:53:06.300 that's where we start to look at the varying performance 00:53:06.300 --> 00:53:10.400 of how that circuit has performed over time based 00:53:10.400 --> 00:53:12.403 on correlating wind speeds. 00:53:14.280 --> 00:53:15.113 Was that helpful? 00:53:15.113 --> 00:53:16.690 Thank you, yeah that was really helpful. 00:53:16.690 --> 00:53:19.310 So 19 is really, think of it as, a minimum. 00:53:19.310 --> 00:53:22.670 And then the considerations of those different elements 00:53:22.670 --> 00:53:24.413 are baked into two and three. 00:53:25.290 --> 00:53:26.123 Correct. 00:53:27.870 --> 00:53:30.960 That's the minimum gate, we have to meet that floor, 00:53:30.960 --> 00:53:32.780 and then we can start looking at, okay, 00:53:32.780 --> 00:53:36.820 what of the other elements could trigger a potential PSPS? 00:53:36.820 --> 00:53:40.210 And then, you know, say that we'd meet condition one, 00:53:40.210 --> 00:53:42.080 don't meet anything on condition two here, 00:53:42.080 --> 00:53:46.670 but we accept the vegetation and hazard identification, 00:53:46.670 --> 00:53:47.950 that's where we would look at, okay, 00:53:47.950 --> 00:53:50.830 what are those open high priority tags that we have? 00:53:50.830 --> 00:53:53.590 We know we've got three to four days, 00:53:53.590 --> 00:53:56.250 as we do the look ahead, let's get our crews out there, 00:53:56.250 --> 00:53:59.500 let's mitigate those priority tags 00:53:59.500 --> 00:54:01.270 and accelerate the completion of those 00:54:01.270 --> 00:54:02.570 so that we don't have to de-energize. 00:54:02.570 --> 00:54:06.210 So that's how, you know, PSPS starts to become 00:54:06.210 --> 00:54:09.210 more of a measure of last resort as opposed to first resort. 00:54:12.247 --> 00:54:13.370 Sumeet, this is Daniel. 00:54:13.370 --> 00:54:14.240 I just want to tag on 00:54:14.240 --> 00:54:17.000 to Director Thomas Jacob's question there. 00:54:17.000 --> 00:54:18.037 So what I heard you say, 00:54:18.037 --> 00:54:22.150 and I just want to verify, is that 19 is a minimum, 00:54:22.150 --> 00:54:24.720 but based on geographic location, 00:54:24.720 --> 00:54:26.350 that minimum actually may be different 00:54:26.350 --> 00:54:28.210 in different parts of the state. 00:54:28.210 --> 00:54:29.043 Yes, sir. 00:54:29.043 --> 00:54:30.240 Different parts of our service territory. 00:54:30.240 --> 00:54:33.010 And that's really where our ignition probability model 00:54:33.010 --> 00:54:33.950 comes into play, right? 00:54:33.950 --> 00:54:36.450 Because that's directly correlated to wind speeds 00:54:36.450 --> 00:54:37.540 causing an outage, 00:54:37.540 --> 00:54:40.500 and then that outage creating a potential instance 00:54:40.500 --> 00:54:41.630 of an ignition. 00:54:41.630 --> 00:54:45.270 So you can imagine if we can have a overhead electrical line 00:54:45.270 --> 00:54:47.943 that has a significant number of strike potential trees, 00:54:47.943 --> 00:54:49.787 that are tall enough but not far enough, 00:54:49.787 --> 00:54:51.790 and we've got a narrow corridor, 00:54:51.790 --> 00:54:55.320 the likelihood of us de-energizing that section 00:54:55.320 --> 00:54:58.000 at a lower wind speed is greater than an area 00:54:58.000 --> 00:55:00.340 where we have a broader right-away. 00:55:00.340 --> 00:55:03.130 So 19 is, sounds like it's the minimum. 00:55:03.130 --> 00:55:04.510 Do you have an average for us 00:55:04.510 --> 00:55:05.850 of what the sustained wind is 00:55:05.850 --> 00:55:07.343 for your entire territory? 00:55:10.320 --> 00:55:12.180 Scott, if you want front front on that one, 00:55:12.180 --> 00:55:13.610 I don't have that off the top of my head. 00:55:13.610 --> 00:55:16.933 So Scott, I don't know if you've got the insight on that. 00:55:19.410 --> 00:55:20.243 Yeah, sure, 00:55:20.243 --> 00:55:22.130 and these are great questions. 00:55:22.130 --> 00:55:25.220 And I just want to make a clarification 00:55:25.220 --> 00:55:26.660 that the 19 miles per hour, 00:55:26.660 --> 00:55:31.660 that's sustained wind speed and sustained wind speed of 19, 00:55:31.960 --> 00:55:35.670 if you apply a standard Gus factor 1.7, 00:55:36.720 --> 00:55:39.980 it's about 33 miles per hour on the Gus. 00:55:39.980 --> 00:55:43.410 And so I don't have an average 00:55:43.410 --> 00:55:45.400 off the top of my head for you, 00:55:45.400 --> 00:55:47.930 the average across the entire territory, 00:55:47.930 --> 00:55:52.930 but it's definitely higher than 19 or Gus of a 30 to 33. 00:55:56.640 --> 00:55:57.550 I don't want to speculate, 00:55:57.550 --> 00:56:00.367 but that's something that we can calculate. 00:56:00.367 --> 00:56:01.830 But it all goes hand in hand. 00:56:01.830 --> 00:56:04.500 It's tough too, because if you think about 00:56:04.500 --> 00:56:07.870 our catastrophic fire probability model is, 00:56:07.870 --> 00:56:10.390 it's a combination of factors, right? 00:56:10.390 --> 00:56:12.670 It's a combination of our fire potential index 00:56:12.670 --> 00:56:14.730 with the ignition probability weather. 00:56:14.730 --> 00:56:19.160 So it's not as simple as they're hitting this wind speed 00:56:19.160 --> 00:56:23.860 we're turning off and there's some pros and cons to it. 00:56:23.860 --> 00:56:25.610 One of the things that's very nice about it 00:56:25.610 --> 00:56:28.380 is that it adjusts for the fire conditions 00:56:28.380 --> 00:56:29.590 that are out there. 00:56:29.590 --> 00:56:33.600 For example, catastrophic fire probability value of nine. 00:56:33.600 --> 00:56:36.110 Let's say we have a fire potential index 00:56:36.110 --> 00:56:37.290 that's off the charts, right? 00:56:37.290 --> 00:56:40.470 Drought is continuing, we go through, you know, 00:56:40.470 --> 00:56:41.940 four or five years of drought again, 00:56:41.940 --> 00:56:43.530 and we've been there. 00:56:43.530 --> 00:56:45.750 Essentially you will be less wind speed 00:56:45.750 --> 00:56:49.300 based on that criteria in order to execute a PSPS. 00:56:49.300 --> 00:56:51.910 Although you have to have that minimum of 19 00:56:51.910 --> 00:56:55.093 because of the way that these factors play together. 00:56:55.093 --> 00:56:58.980 And so by that way, it gets a little bit difficult, 00:56:58.980 --> 00:57:01.070 more difficult to answer your question about an average. 00:57:01.070 --> 00:57:03.650 I guess we can calculate that by keeping FPI constant 00:57:03.650 --> 00:57:05.503 and calculating an average. 00:57:07.110 --> 00:57:09.530 The other thing I mentioned that I'll mention 00:57:09.530 --> 00:57:13.240 is that we've been, as part of our distribution 00:57:13.240 --> 00:57:15.160 outage modeling program 00:57:15.160 --> 00:57:17.620 that's been going on for the past decade at PG&E, 00:57:18.900 --> 00:57:22.640 we have found that there is definitely a heterogeneous 00:57:22.640 --> 00:57:27.570 relationship in our grid of winds causing outages. 00:57:27.570 --> 00:57:30.500 And there's a number of factors that we can go into, 00:57:30.500 --> 00:57:32.780 but a I'll just throw out an example, 00:57:32.780 --> 00:57:36.450 like a wind speed of 40 in downtown San Francisco, 00:57:36.450 --> 00:57:38.700 much different than a wind speed in downtown Bakersfield 00:57:38.700 --> 00:57:41.210 of the same magnitude in terms of its outage propensity, 00:57:41.210 --> 00:57:44.110 just given, you know, climatological exposure, 00:57:44.110 --> 00:57:46.480 vegetation, and other factors at play. 00:57:46.480 --> 00:57:48.230 So it's definitely a heterogeneous. 00:57:49.670 --> 00:57:51.680 Yeah, I appreciate that explanation, 00:57:51.680 --> 00:57:53.640 I appreciate the acknowledgement that it is, you know, 00:57:53.640 --> 00:57:58.030 a complex formula that gets you to that point. 00:57:58.030 --> 00:58:00.310 You know, the hard part is from a little bit more 00:58:00.310 --> 00:58:02.420 of a transparency standpoint, 00:58:02.420 --> 00:58:04.970 the public doesn't see a lot of these other factors, 00:58:04.970 --> 00:58:06.330 wind is obviously, you know, 00:58:06.330 --> 00:58:09.790 an easy one for the average citizen to understand, 00:58:09.790 --> 00:58:11.220 is it windy or is it not. 00:58:11.220 --> 00:58:12.750 I would be curious if you're able to provide 00:58:12.750 --> 00:58:15.110 any data that gives more on an average. 00:58:15.110 --> 00:58:18.850 Again, I understand that it is more than just wind, 00:58:18.850 --> 00:58:22.240 but I am curious, 'cause 19 does seem to be a bit 00:58:22.240 --> 00:58:25.580 of a low threshold, but I'm just curious to see 00:58:25.580 --> 00:58:28.210 is that average actually a little bit higher 00:58:28.210 --> 00:58:30.640 or is it closer to that number? 00:58:30.640 --> 00:58:32.440 So again, appreciate that. 00:58:32.440 --> 00:58:34.397 On that same token though, Sumeet, 00:58:34.397 --> 00:58:36.160 and maybe this one's better for you. 00:58:36.160 --> 00:58:37.370 Again, I think I heard this, 00:58:37.370 --> 00:58:39.543 but talking about the assets itself, 00:58:40.404 --> 00:58:42.960 the infrastructure, when you have covered line, 00:58:42.960 --> 00:58:44.960 when you have even undergrounding, 00:58:44.960 --> 00:58:48.000 how does that take effect into this model? 00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:49.730 'Cause they don't really see that very clearly 00:58:49.730 --> 00:58:53.100 of how you would take that into consideration. 00:58:53.100 --> 00:58:54.640 Yup, absolutely Chief. 00:58:54.640 --> 00:58:56.880 And let me be responsive to this question 00:58:56.880 --> 00:58:59.737 and then I'll piggyback off the first one. 00:58:59.737 --> 00:59:02.360 Just want to make sure that we have a clear follow-up 00:59:02.360 --> 00:59:04.150 to the question that you're asking. 00:59:04.150 --> 00:59:06.310 I'll share some insights with you as well 00:59:06.310 --> 00:59:07.810 on some of the events from last year, 00:59:07.810 --> 00:59:08.930 I just pulled up some numbers. 00:59:08.930 --> 00:59:11.630 But in terms of undergrounding, right? 00:59:11.630 --> 00:59:15.240 So if we have a section of line that's undergrounded, 00:59:15.240 --> 00:59:17.300 and it's connected to, what we call, 00:59:17.300 --> 00:59:18.720 the source side device, right? 00:59:18.720 --> 00:59:21.280 So meaning that if we have a portion 00:59:21.280 --> 00:59:23.650 of the undergrounded section, 00:59:23.650 --> 00:59:26.870 that an upstream of that, you know, 00:59:26.870 --> 00:59:29.370 we have a section of our overhead distribution line, 00:59:29.370 --> 00:59:32.430 that's bare conductor, that's not hardened, 00:59:32.430 --> 00:59:35.410 but that's not in the PSPS footprint, 00:59:35.410 --> 00:59:38.010 we would not de-energize in the areas where 00:59:38.010 --> 00:59:39.080 we have undergrounded, right? 00:59:39.080 --> 00:59:42.510 Because that risk of vegetation contact 00:59:42.510 --> 00:59:45.980 or an outage causing it equipment issue 00:59:45.980 --> 00:59:48.534 resulting in an ignition, 00:59:48.534 --> 00:59:50.280 it's pretty much been mitigated 00:59:50.280 --> 00:59:52.240 as a result of undergrounding. 00:59:52.240 --> 00:59:53.610 So that's a little bit more straightforward 00:59:53.610 --> 00:59:55.280 on the hardening side. 00:59:55.280 --> 00:59:57.420 On the covered conductor side, 00:59:57.420 --> 01:00:01.260 given that we have now incorporated 01:00:01.260 --> 01:00:05.860 the outage correlation to ignition correlation 01:00:07.070 --> 01:00:08.800 at that circuit level. 01:00:08.800 --> 01:00:12.560 So those circuits that actually have the covered conductor, 01:00:12.560 --> 01:00:15.450 right, or what we call the overhead hardened design, 01:00:15.450 --> 01:00:19.970 they are gonna have a lower likelihood of outages. 01:00:19.970 --> 01:00:22.440 They're gonna have a lower likelihood 01:00:22.440 --> 01:00:24.300 of potential ignitions. 01:00:24.300 --> 01:00:28.753 So it gets accounted for within the machine learning model 01:00:28.753 --> 01:00:29.990 that we have in place, 01:00:29.990 --> 01:00:32.430 which is actually one of the reasons why we've shifted 01:00:32.430 --> 01:00:35.500 to more of a machine learning random forest, 01:00:35.500 --> 01:00:40.500 type of a forecasting capability or predictive nature 01:00:40.860 --> 01:00:43.330 of our risk model, as opposed to what we were using before, 01:00:43.330 --> 01:00:45.380 which was more regression based. 01:00:45.380 --> 01:00:47.430 And what we never got comfortable with, Chief, 01:00:47.430 --> 01:00:51.137 is using a subject matter assessment to state, 01:00:51.137 --> 01:00:53.717 "Okay well, my covered conductor is 60% effective 01:00:53.717 --> 01:00:55.240 "or 65% effective." 01:00:55.240 --> 01:00:58.290 Because the way that that was derived was, 01:00:58.290 --> 01:01:00.840 let's take a look at all the different outages, 01:01:00.840 --> 01:01:03.290 and let's make the assumption that if something 01:01:03.290 --> 01:01:07.110 is overhead hardened, what of those outages 01:01:07.110 --> 01:01:08.390 would be mitigated, right? 01:01:08.390 --> 01:01:11.660 That's a subject matter, based approach, 01:01:11.660 --> 01:01:13.350 and we never got comfortable with that 01:01:13.350 --> 01:01:16.080 because we really want to be able to see this, 01:01:16.080 --> 01:01:18.130 our system that's hardened, 01:01:18.130 --> 01:01:21.300 performing operationally in those wind conditions. 01:01:21.300 --> 01:01:23.250 And that's really what this machine learning model 01:01:23.250 --> 01:01:25.990 actually does because it takes in the fact that, 01:01:25.990 --> 01:01:28.420 at 50 mile an hour wind gusts, 01:01:28.420 --> 01:01:30.210 whereas if I had a bare conductor, 01:01:30.210 --> 01:01:32.030 I would see an outage and I would see 01:01:32.030 --> 01:01:33.110 a likely hood of ignition, 01:01:33.110 --> 01:01:34.923 I'm not gonna see that now because 01:01:34.923 --> 01:01:37.620 that covered conductor is gonna be resilient enough 01:01:37.620 --> 01:01:39.290 to mitigate that arc that would occur 01:01:39.290 --> 01:01:40.890 as a result of a branch falling again. 01:01:40.890 --> 01:01:43.733 So that gets accounted for on a going forward basis. 01:01:46.130 --> 01:01:48.670 Thank you, I appreciate that explanation. 01:01:48.670 --> 01:01:50.920 And we'll have to dive in a little bit more 01:01:50.920 --> 01:01:52.830 to the outage modeling. 01:01:52.830 --> 01:01:53.663 I will just say, I mean, 01:01:53.663 --> 01:01:57.560 this is an incredibly complex decision-making tree 01:01:57.560 --> 01:01:59.190 and whether or not you've just shared 01:01:59.190 --> 01:02:02.300 more in the weeds than the others, 01:02:02.300 --> 01:02:05.030 but I really hope that that the complexity to it 01:02:05.030 --> 01:02:08.090 actually makes a more refined a decision 01:02:08.090 --> 01:02:12.150 and a more accurate decision in a smaller geographic area. 01:02:12.150 --> 01:02:14.070 So again, my line of questions 01:02:14.070 --> 01:02:15.230 in trying to really understand 01:02:15.230 --> 01:02:16.700 what is very, very complex. 01:02:16.700 --> 01:02:19.520 Again, this slide is a bit overwhelming. 01:02:19.520 --> 01:02:23.240 Hopefully it's a positive in the outcome. 01:02:23.240 --> 01:02:24.650 I have one last question Sumeet, on this, 01:02:24.650 --> 01:02:26.510 and you had talked about it on this slide. 01:02:26.510 --> 01:02:29.160 It's really on the slide that you were on 01:02:29.160 --> 01:02:29.993 just previous to that, 01:02:29.993 --> 01:02:31.780 but that is the overstrike data, 01:02:31.780 --> 01:02:35.563 that you had discussed in your April presentation. 01:02:36.781 --> 01:02:40.430 Have all of the metrics that were presented in April, 01:02:40.430 --> 01:02:44.760 and is that all what you are going into this year's 01:02:44.760 --> 01:02:45.850 modeling to include, 01:02:45.850 --> 01:02:49.950 or are there some adjustments based on the recommendations 01:02:49.950 --> 01:02:52.980 that were made by the courts? 01:02:52.980 --> 01:02:54.620 Yeah, I'm gonna touch on that Chief, 01:02:54.620 --> 01:02:56.520 on slide eight, in two more slides, 01:02:56.520 --> 01:02:59.830 then we'll talk about clearly laid out in the table for you, 01:02:59.830 --> 01:03:02.310 what the impact would be for 2020 protocols, 01:03:02.310 --> 01:03:03.660 what we discussed in April, 01:03:03.660 --> 01:03:06.070 and then what the implications are to frequency 01:03:06.070 --> 01:03:08.173 scope duration based on the 2021 model 01:03:08.173 --> 01:03:09.700 that we've been discussing. 01:03:09.700 --> 01:03:12.260 So if we don't answer you question there, 01:03:12.260 --> 01:03:15.280 please raise it again and we'll be sure to do that. 01:03:15.280 --> 01:03:17.453 Great, okay. Thanks Sumeet. 01:03:17.453 --> 01:03:19.730 I'm just quickly going back to your first ask. 01:03:19.730 --> 01:03:23.310 So what we can do, Chief is follow up with you 01:03:23.310 --> 01:03:27.560 on what was the average sustained wind speed 01:03:27.560 --> 01:03:31.880 and wind gust as an example for the six PSPS events 01:03:31.880 --> 01:03:35.003 that we have in 2020, if that would be helpful. 01:03:35.920 --> 01:03:38.640 And what I can share with you as an example 01:03:38.640 --> 01:03:42.220 is, if you look at our October 21st event 01:03:42.220 --> 01:03:43.740 that occurred last year, 01:03:43.740 --> 01:03:46.252 the peak wind gust, which was the maximum wind gust 01:03:46.252 --> 01:03:49.660 that we experienced in that event, was 56 miles an hour. 01:03:49.660 --> 01:03:51.980 One of our strongest events that we saw last year 01:03:51.980 --> 01:03:56.570 was October 25th, in that instance, it was 89 miles an hour. 01:03:56.570 --> 01:03:58.570 Again, that's max not average, 01:03:58.570 --> 01:04:01.330 but we can actually produce a similar data set 01:04:01.330 --> 01:04:02.730 from an average perspective. 01:04:07.900 --> 01:04:08.733 Okay. 01:04:10.160 --> 01:04:12.120 Great discussion and engagement. 01:04:12.120 --> 01:04:14.340 Any other questions on that before I talk a little bit 01:04:14.340 --> 01:04:19.340 about transmission and then touch upon directly the question 01:04:19.340 --> 01:04:23.563 that Chief Berlant asked. 01:04:25.890 --> 01:04:30.890 Okay, so if we can go to slide seven, please. 01:04:32.010 --> 01:04:32.860 Great, thank you. 01:04:34.270 --> 01:04:35.620 So on the transmission side, 01:04:35.620 --> 01:04:38.030 we take a very similar approach 01:04:38.030 --> 01:04:39.713 that we do for distribution. 01:04:40.730 --> 01:04:45.730 And a few enhancements that I would like to highlight 01:04:45.880 --> 01:04:49.290 is really from 2020 to 2021. 01:04:49.290 --> 01:04:52.620 So one of the additional factors that we now considered 01:04:52.620 --> 01:04:55.410 going into this year is performing 01:04:55.410 --> 01:04:58.270 what we call an induction assessment, 01:04:58.270 --> 01:05:01.400 which is to identify lines that could create 01:05:01.400 --> 01:05:02.520 an induction risk. 01:05:02.520 --> 01:05:05.530 So if I just simplify this and not talk about it 01:05:05.530 --> 01:05:08.950 in terms of, you know, electrical engineering terms, 01:05:08.950 --> 01:05:12.930 what this really means is the lines that are not 01:05:12.930 --> 01:05:17.040 de-energized in a transmission corridor 01:05:17.040 --> 01:05:21.610 and are adjacent to lines that are being de-energized 01:05:21.610 --> 01:05:23.423 as a result of a PSPS event, 01:05:24.480 --> 01:05:27.210 it can potentially create the electrical current 01:05:27.210 --> 01:05:29.463 from the energized line to the de energize line 01:05:29.463 --> 01:05:33.200 through a process called electromagnetic fields, right? 01:05:33.200 --> 01:05:37.770 So if you don't have current on that de-energized line. 01:05:37.770 --> 01:05:42.450 So what we've done is we've analyzed our system 01:05:42.450 --> 01:05:46.830 to identify what are the areas and transmission lines 01:05:46.830 --> 01:05:51.243 that would be most susceptible to this induction risk, 01:05:52.090 --> 01:05:56.530 and we are pre identifying the steps that we would take 01:05:56.530 --> 01:05:59.110 in real time operating space 01:05:59.110 --> 01:06:01.510 so that we don't have to unduly de-energize 01:06:01.510 --> 01:06:03.367 additional transmission lines because of this risk, 01:06:03.367 --> 01:06:05.040 and there's ways you could do that. 01:06:05.040 --> 01:06:08.573 There's things you can do around grounding a line. 01:06:09.500 --> 01:06:12.290 And we are pre identifying those locations 01:06:12.290 --> 01:06:14.470 on those transmission lines 01:06:14.470 --> 01:06:18.820 that could be highest susceptibility to induction risk 01:06:18.820 --> 01:06:22.820 and do that within the operating time period that we have 01:06:22.820 --> 01:06:25.480 so we A, mitigate the risk of induction, 01:06:25.480 --> 01:06:29.460 but B, at the same time, do not expand 01:06:29.460 --> 01:06:32.380 the potential scope of PSPS. 01:06:32.380 --> 01:06:37.340 So that's an additional enhancement we've made from a risk 01:06:37.340 --> 01:06:40.770 and a operational step perspective 01:06:40.770 --> 01:06:43.313 that we did not have in place previously. 01:06:44.400 --> 01:06:47.430 The second is, we've made additional enhancements 01:06:47.430 --> 01:06:50.760 to our overall transmission model that we use. 01:06:50.760 --> 01:06:54.640 So for example, we've incorporated now 01:06:54.640 --> 01:06:56.730 data from our inspections that we get, 01:06:56.730 --> 01:06:58.920 related to poll test and treat, 01:06:58.920 --> 01:07:01.440 and we incorporate things like 01:07:01.440 --> 01:07:04.000 the direct wood pole measurements that we get 01:07:04.000 --> 01:07:06.870 from that invasive testing process 01:07:06.870 --> 01:07:10.760 to determine the transmission model's 01:07:10.760 --> 01:07:15.760 strength ratio calculation in correlation to wind speeds. 01:07:15.760 --> 01:07:19.450 So that's the type of additional enhancements 01:07:19.450 --> 01:07:20.750 we're continuing to work on 01:07:20.750 --> 01:07:22.580 from a risk management perspective, 01:07:22.580 --> 01:07:24.150 to become more granular, 01:07:24.150 --> 01:07:27.120 to take advantage of all the inspection information we have, 01:07:27.120 --> 01:07:29.100 take advantage of the condition information we have 01:07:29.100 --> 01:07:32.850 to substantiate what the appropriate thresholds are 01:07:32.850 --> 01:07:34.613 from a de-energization perspective. 01:07:35.497 --> 01:07:36.720 We've done the same thing, 01:07:36.720 --> 01:07:38.800 on the vegetation management side. 01:07:38.800 --> 01:07:41.980 So we have an enhanced tree strike risk model, 01:07:41.980 --> 01:07:43.560 which incorporates directly 01:07:43.560 --> 01:07:45.630 data from our transmission LIDAR. 01:07:45.630 --> 01:07:46.570 And, you know, keep in mind 01:07:46.570 --> 01:07:49.720 that the strike potential trees on transmission lines 01:07:49.720 --> 01:07:53.530 are far fewer than they are for distribution, right? 01:07:53.530 --> 01:07:56.890 To give you an order of magnitude, of the 5,500 miles 01:07:56.890 --> 01:07:58.490 of high fire threat districts we have, 01:07:58.490 --> 01:08:02.410 there's about 350,000 strike potential trees. 01:08:02.410 --> 01:08:03.430 On the distribution side, 01:08:03.430 --> 01:08:07.900 with the 25,000 plus miles, we nearly have 8 million trees. 01:08:07.900 --> 01:08:10.150 So the scale is very different. 01:08:10.150 --> 01:08:14.230 But we have a LIDAR tree risk model that we have developed 01:08:14.230 --> 01:08:17.200 to identify the likelihood of a tree 01:08:17.200 --> 01:08:18.870 that could fall into the line 01:08:18.870 --> 01:08:21.720 based on local terrain, characteristics, the slope, 01:08:21.720 --> 01:08:23.810 the lean at a given wind speed, 01:08:23.810 --> 01:08:26.440 and we use that information to help incorporate 01:08:26.440 --> 01:08:29.450 the vegetation risks associated with our transmission lines. 01:08:29.450 --> 01:08:30.300 And, you know, keep in mind 01:08:30.300 --> 01:08:32.160 that risk is much more prevalent 01:08:32.160 --> 01:08:33.540 on the distribution side, 01:08:33.540 --> 01:08:36.040 given the narrow corridors and on transmission, 01:08:36.040 --> 01:08:38.410 we have much broader corridor, 01:08:38.410 --> 01:08:40.710 especially for the larger and the higher voltage lines of 01:08:40.710 --> 01:08:44.040 115kV, 230 and 500. 01:08:44.040 --> 01:08:46.820 And throughout this process on the transmission side, 01:08:46.820 --> 01:08:50.230 we work very closely in the real-time operating space 01:08:50.230 --> 01:08:52.630 for the California independent system operator 01:08:52.630 --> 01:08:57.080 to ensure that we're not impacting the system stability 01:08:57.080 --> 01:08:58.890 and reliability as a result of this. 01:08:58.890 --> 01:09:01.930 So, you know, there's very, very tight coordination 01:09:01.930 --> 01:09:04.343 that happens within that property space. 01:09:05.760 --> 01:09:07.260 So if we go to the next slide, 01:09:08.646 --> 01:09:12.210 and hopefully, Chief, this answers your question, 01:09:12.210 --> 01:09:17.210 but what we have previously referenced 01:09:17.320 --> 01:09:22.320 was really the impacts associated with our PSPS program 01:09:23.285 --> 01:09:26.620 and the changes in the protocol. 01:09:26.620 --> 01:09:29.070 So what you see in this table, right? 01:09:29.070 --> 01:09:30.760 I'd like to bring your attention to that. 01:09:30.760 --> 01:09:31.923 There's three columns. 01:09:32.770 --> 01:09:37.770 The first column is the 2020 protocols. 01:09:38.020 --> 01:09:43.020 So this basically states what we would expect 01:09:44.140 --> 01:09:47.580 as event frequency four and a half events per year 01:09:47.580 --> 01:09:50.170 on average, we experienced five last year. 01:09:50.170 --> 01:09:52.570 35 hours average outage duration. 01:09:52.570 --> 01:09:55.690 Average customer count in terms of all the events 01:09:55.690 --> 01:09:59.180 and then the largest event from last year. 01:09:59.180 --> 01:10:04.120 And this is if no changes were made to our 2020 protocols. 01:10:04.120 --> 01:10:07.100 And the back casting that we've done here 01:10:07.100 --> 01:10:11.090 is, we are looking at a four year look back. 01:10:11.090 --> 01:10:13.590 So we shifted from the 11 year look back. 01:10:13.590 --> 01:10:14.780 So we discussed that in April. 01:10:14.780 --> 01:10:17.710 We got a lot of feedback, that really the four years 01:10:17.710 --> 01:10:20.380 are more relevant for our service territory, 01:10:20.380 --> 01:10:24.020 which starts in 2017, '18, '19, and '20. 01:10:24.020 --> 01:10:26.850 And what we've done is, this is forecasted 01:10:26.850 --> 01:10:28.210 to the best of our ability, right? 01:10:28.210 --> 01:10:32.260 Presuming similar weather conditions as the past four years, 01:10:32.260 --> 01:10:37.260 that the impact in 2021 is gonna be fairly similar 01:10:37.430 --> 01:10:39.950 to 2020, and possibly slightly more frequent. 01:10:39.950 --> 01:10:41.890 So I'll walk through that, right? 01:10:41.890 --> 01:10:45.770 So the first column is the 2020 protocols. 01:10:45.770 --> 01:10:48.100 What we have included in the second column, 01:10:48.100 --> 01:10:51.440 which is referenced as 70th percentile overstrike 01:10:52.300 --> 01:10:54.863 as what we had discussed with you back in April. 01:10:55.700 --> 01:10:57.560 And if you recall in that discussion, 01:10:57.560 --> 01:11:01.710 we have talked about the areas and communities 01:11:01.710 --> 01:11:04.160 that have a high number of strike potential trees, 01:11:04.160 --> 01:11:05.873 we're gonna see a much greater impact in frequency. 01:11:05.873 --> 01:11:09.170 And you'll see that in terms of an average 01:11:09.170 --> 01:11:11.363 increasing to 6.5 events per year. 01:11:12.630 --> 01:11:15.760 And what we also stated is that the average customer count 01:11:15.760 --> 01:11:20.280 increases and this analysis was basically based on the fact 01:11:20.280 --> 01:11:24.190 that if we have a sheer presence of a strike potential tree, 01:11:24.190 --> 01:11:27.850 that's above the 70th percentile, it's binary, 01:11:27.850 --> 01:11:29.410 meaning that it's in, 01:11:29.410 --> 01:11:32.360 if it meets the minimum fire potential conditions, 01:11:32.360 --> 01:11:35.690 and if it doesn't and it's below the 70th percentile, 01:11:35.690 --> 01:11:36.603 it's excluded. 01:11:38.670 --> 01:11:40.420 What we show in the third column 01:11:41.290 --> 01:11:45.233 is the criteria that we've been discussing, 01:11:45.233 --> 01:11:48.140 that we are operationalizing and we'll be using 01:11:48.140 --> 01:11:51.360 for this year, which is a 2021 protocols. 01:11:51.360 --> 01:11:55.050 And what you can see is that the frequency dramatically 01:11:55.050 --> 01:11:57.360 reduces as compared to the prior version of the model 01:11:57.360 --> 01:11:59.330 we were proposing back in April. 01:11:59.330 --> 01:12:02.690 And it's on par with 2020, 01:12:02.690 --> 01:12:06.180 the slightly greater impact in some areas 01:12:06.180 --> 01:12:09.310 that have a high number of strike potential trees. 01:12:09.310 --> 01:12:12.010 That's basically where we're landing 01:12:12.010 --> 01:12:15.440 as we do that four year look back analysis. 01:12:15.440 --> 01:12:17.327 Now, one question you may ask is, 01:12:17.327 --> 01:12:20.957 "Well, why does the average event for the customer count, 01:12:20.957 --> 01:12:24.327 "reduce to hundred thousand customers as compared to the 01:12:24.327 --> 01:12:27.300 "baseline protocol of 2020?" 01:12:27.300 --> 01:12:30.450 And the reason is because, one of the challenges 01:12:30.450 --> 01:12:33.370 in terms of averages that, 01:12:33.370 --> 01:12:37.270 the 2021 protocols add one more event, 01:12:37.270 --> 01:12:39.740 if you look at that total 40 year look back, 01:12:39.740 --> 01:12:41.840 as compared to the 2020 protocols, 01:12:41.840 --> 01:12:43.540 but it's a fairly small event. 01:12:43.540 --> 01:12:46.550 So that reduces the total average 01:12:46.550 --> 01:12:48.980 of the customer count down. 01:12:48.980 --> 01:12:50.697 And now the biggest takeaway I'd say is that 01:12:50.697 --> 01:12:53.730 if you look at the largest event 01:12:53.730 --> 01:12:57.940 and what we've modeled here is, over the four years, 01:12:57.940 --> 01:13:01.063 the most and strongest event we had was October, 2019. 01:13:02.080 --> 01:13:05.760 We would see a slight increase in our number of customers. 01:13:05.760 --> 01:13:09.620 And really the difference here is that the 2021 protocols 01:13:09.620 --> 01:13:12.210 don't use the binary 70th percentile, 01:13:12.210 --> 01:13:14.390 but they look at and say, okay, 01:13:14.390 --> 01:13:16.410 I can have an overstrike tree risk, 01:13:16.410 --> 01:13:19.750 but I need to understand the correlation to the outage 01:13:19.750 --> 01:13:22.300 based on wind and the probability of ignition. 01:13:22.300 --> 01:13:26.470 So it's a much more probabilistic based scenario. 01:13:26.470 --> 01:13:28.760 And in our view, 01:13:28.760 --> 01:13:32.370 the 2021 protocols meets the spirit and intent 01:13:32.370 --> 01:13:35.220 of the federal court recommendation. 01:13:35.220 --> 01:13:36.863 And as we've back-tested it, 01:13:37.830 --> 01:13:40.460 we know that these protocols would have also mitigated 01:13:40.460 --> 01:13:42.853 the south fire from 2020. 01:13:44.890 --> 01:13:48.823 We pause there, you know, that's more than a mouthful. 01:13:51.520 --> 01:13:53.665 This is Caroline, 01:13:53.665 --> 01:13:55.510 I just want to make sure I understand the numbers. 01:13:55.510 --> 01:13:57.623 So, if I'm reading this correctly, 01:13:58.923 --> 01:14:03.090 the new protocols would result in slightly 01:14:04.770 --> 01:14:07.350 more distinct events, 01:14:07.350 --> 01:14:10.990 but the average customer count impacted 01:14:10.990 --> 01:14:12.490 by those events would be less. 01:14:14.110 --> 01:14:16.530 I just want to make sure I'm understanding that. 01:14:16.530 --> 01:14:19.020 So the quantity might go up, but the impact is less. 01:14:19.020 --> 01:14:21.543 Am I following that correctly? 01:14:22.390 --> 01:14:24.640 On average Caroline, yes. 01:14:24.640 --> 01:14:26.700 But the way we look at this, right, 01:14:26.700 --> 01:14:29.294 is if you look at the largest event 01:14:29.294 --> 01:14:31.000 and that's on the last row, 01:14:31.000 --> 01:14:34.701 you will see a slight increase in total number of customers. 01:14:34.701 --> 01:14:35.700 But that's the way to think about it, right? 01:14:35.700 --> 01:14:38.060 Is that the 2021 protocol, in essence, 01:14:38.060 --> 01:14:40.650 when you compare it to the 2020 protocol, 01:14:40.650 --> 01:14:43.783 over the last four years, I would add one more small event. 01:14:45.560 --> 01:14:47.600 That's why that average comes down 01:14:47.600 --> 01:14:50.120 for the customer count, 100K versus 140K. 01:14:58.426 --> 01:15:02.950 Hey Sumeet, maybe you can walk us through this. 01:15:02.950 --> 01:15:05.940 I'm trying to teeth out what is different 01:15:06.880 --> 01:15:09.830 due to your incorporation of machine learning 01:15:09.830 --> 01:15:13.910 to modify the tree overstrike criteria 01:15:13.910 --> 01:15:18.910 and what is different in your updated, 01:15:19.230 --> 01:15:24.230 2021 protocol, more broadly. 01:15:24.510 --> 01:15:27.870 One that integrates the integrated weather, 01:15:27.870 --> 01:15:30.100 integrated ignition probably weather, 01:15:30.100 --> 01:15:32.370 with the fire potential index. 01:15:32.370 --> 01:15:33.930 What does this table reflect? 01:15:33.930 --> 01:15:35.313 Is this table everything? 01:15:37.132 --> 01:15:40.820 What's different from what you've told us in April, 01:15:40.820 --> 01:15:43.050 the use of machine learning just to modify 01:15:43.050 --> 01:15:45.893 the overstrike criteria. 01:15:47.410 --> 01:15:50.000 That's the primary difference, Commissioner. 01:15:50.000 --> 01:15:53.730 So the most simplistic way to think about it this way, 01:15:53.730 --> 01:15:58.730 so let's take a circuit as an example, 01:15:58.900 --> 01:16:02.750 and say that we meet all of our minimum fire 01:16:02.750 --> 01:16:03.960 potential conditions, right? 01:16:03.960 --> 01:16:07.560 So we meet that 19 mile an hour, sustained wind speed, 01:16:07.560 --> 01:16:10.123 along with the fire potential index, right? 01:16:11.260 --> 01:16:16.260 If that circuit has a high number of strike potential trees, 01:16:17.220 --> 01:16:19.710 and if we just looked at that variable, 01:16:19.710 --> 01:16:21.807 strike potential trees and said, 01:16:21.807 --> 01:16:26.070 "Okay, give me the top 30th percentile." 01:16:26.070 --> 01:16:28.760 Or meaning those that are above 70th percentile. 01:16:28.760 --> 01:16:31.373 As soon as I hit the minimum fire conditions, 01:16:32.230 --> 01:16:35.610 we would be calling for de-energization of that circuit. 01:16:35.610 --> 01:16:38.123 That was the framework we had in place in April. 01:16:40.490 --> 01:16:45.220 What's different with our 2021 protocol is that, 01:16:45.220 --> 01:16:49.130 that same circuit that may be within the 30th percentile, 01:16:49.130 --> 01:16:50.600 now we say, 01:16:50.600 --> 01:16:55.430 well, the likelihood of seeing a outage 01:16:55.430 --> 01:16:56.850 that could turn into an ignition 01:16:56.850 --> 01:17:00.540 is not at that 19 mile an hour, sustained wind speed, 01:17:00.540 --> 01:17:02.600 it may be at 30 mile an hour, 01:17:02.600 --> 01:17:05.430 sustained wind speeds for that circuit, 01:17:05.430 --> 01:17:10.180 based on how that interface and interaction 01:17:10.180 --> 01:17:14.290 of wind, our asset and vegetation has performed. 01:17:14.290 --> 01:17:19.160 So in essence, what it does is for that specific example, 01:17:19.160 --> 01:17:24.160 it raises that threshold using a probabilistic forecast. 01:17:25.430 --> 01:17:27.030 That's the primary difference, 01:17:27.030 --> 01:17:28.120 is the best way to think about it, 01:17:28.120 --> 01:17:31.820 which is why you see lesser impact with the 2021 protocol, 01:17:31.820 --> 01:17:34.093 as opposed to what we discussed back in April. 01:17:35.730 --> 01:17:37.073 I don't know if that helped. 01:17:38.550 --> 01:17:40.173 No, that does help. 01:17:42.280 --> 01:17:46.770 I'm trying to teeth out, what you're attributing 01:17:46.770 --> 01:17:51.770 to which aspects of your 2021 protocol, 01:17:53.560 --> 01:17:56.357 but that's sufficient for now, thank you. 01:18:04.780 --> 01:18:06.060 So the key takeaway, right? 01:18:06.060 --> 01:18:11.330 If I just step back, we are forecasting the impact 01:18:11.330 --> 01:18:13.140 as a result of all the changes we discussed, right, 01:18:13.140 --> 01:18:14.363 all the enhancements, 01:18:17.047 --> 01:18:19.900 it'd be fairly consistent and on par, again, 01:18:19.900 --> 01:18:21.830 if we had similar weather conditions, 01:18:21.830 --> 01:18:23.470 and obviously if you see something different 01:18:23.470 --> 01:18:25.420 coming out of the wind events this year, 01:18:25.420 --> 01:18:27.470 as compared to the last four years, 01:18:27.470 --> 01:18:30.220 the impact may be very, well, it could be very different. 01:18:30.220 --> 01:18:32.790 But assuming that a similar weather conditions 01:18:32.790 --> 01:18:34.240 in the last four years, 01:18:34.240 --> 01:18:36.420 we expect the impacts will be fairly consistent 01:18:36.420 --> 01:18:39.540 as what we've seen last year, 01:18:39.540 --> 01:18:44.460 except in some areas that have a high strike potential tree, 01:18:44.460 --> 01:18:48.810 we may see a slight impact from an increase of frequency, 01:18:48.810 --> 01:18:51.373 maybe one or two more events, right? 01:18:53.020 --> 01:18:55.030 We understand we don't take that lightly, 01:18:55.030 --> 01:18:58.020 but that's the key takeaway coming out of this. 01:18:58.020 --> 01:19:00.460 And we've done this analysis at the system wide level. 01:19:00.460 --> 01:19:02.340 And if you recall, 01:19:02.340 --> 01:19:04.720 I shared a letter that had quite a bit of detailed 01:19:04.720 --> 01:19:07.210 information at the county level, 01:19:07.210 --> 01:19:09.550 which we're also in the process of now creating 01:19:09.550 --> 01:19:11.300 the 2021 protocols. 01:19:11.300 --> 01:19:13.550 And we'll have that by the end of this month. 01:19:17.610 --> 01:19:18.623 I have a question, 01:19:20.700 --> 01:19:24.147 on tree overstrike efforts. 01:19:26.390 --> 01:19:31.140 How granular is your information 01:19:32.920 --> 01:19:37.920 insofar as drawing inspection LIDAR, et cetera, et cetera. 01:19:43.679 --> 01:19:46.713 Have you taken like a subset of these areas 01:19:47.630 --> 01:19:52.630 and then extrapolated what the risk may be, 01:19:54.320 --> 01:19:57.680 or do you actually have a more granular inventory 01:19:58.610 --> 01:20:03.423 that then feeds into this model? 01:20:05.000 --> 01:20:05.920 Yep. 01:20:05.920 --> 01:20:06.753 Thank you, Commissioner. 01:20:06.753 --> 01:20:07.910 I'll start off and then, again, 01:20:07.910 --> 01:20:10.720 invite Scott, to see if he wants to add anything 01:20:10.720 --> 01:20:12.930 to the, my response. 01:20:12.930 --> 01:20:17.493 So in terms of the level of granularity, 01:20:18.486 --> 01:20:21.260 I think we had shared that previously as well. 01:20:21.260 --> 01:20:26.060 What we did is, we performed an area LIDAR 01:20:26.060 --> 01:20:30.120 based survey of our 25,500 miles 01:20:30.120 --> 01:20:31.970 of overhead distribution lines. 01:20:31.970 --> 01:20:34.710 We started that in 2019, 01:20:34.710 --> 01:20:39.710 it was completed and much of the LIDAR data was analyzed 01:20:40.290 --> 01:20:43.530 and provided to us middle of last year. 01:20:43.530 --> 01:20:46.040 And you know, it's not perfect 01:20:46.040 --> 01:20:48.400 by any stretch of the imagination, 01:20:48.400 --> 01:20:52.560 but it does a fairly decent job at being able to identify 01:20:52.560 --> 01:20:55.510 the number of trees tall enough, 01:20:55.510 --> 01:20:59.210 not far enough from our overhead distribution lines. 01:20:59.210 --> 01:21:00.840 Now, the reason why I made that statement, 01:21:00.840 --> 01:21:02.670 as to why it's not perfect is, 01:21:02.670 --> 01:21:05.610 especially areas where we have canopy 01:21:05.610 --> 01:21:07.510 over our overhead distribution lines 01:21:08.500 --> 01:21:11.070 and where the density is pretty high, 01:21:11.070 --> 01:21:16.070 it gets a little challenging and a LIDAR can overestimate 01:21:16.070 --> 01:21:18.900 or underestimate the number of strike potential trees, 01:21:18.900 --> 01:21:21.670 but on a relative basis, 01:21:21.670 --> 01:21:24.520 looking at circuit section by circuit section, 01:21:24.520 --> 01:21:26.790 it does a fairly good job of that. 01:21:26.790 --> 01:21:31.790 And what we did is we took the output of that information, 01:21:32.050 --> 01:21:33.380 and then if you recall 01:21:33.380 --> 01:21:35.113 the two kilometer by two kilometer grid cells 01:21:35.113 --> 01:21:36.660 that we talked about, 01:21:36.660 --> 01:21:39.140 we basically calculated what we call, 01:21:39.140 --> 01:21:42.490 the overstrike tree risk value. 01:21:42.490 --> 01:21:44.090 So what we did is we drew a box 01:21:44.090 --> 01:21:46.270 on this two kilometer by two kilometer, 01:21:46.270 --> 01:21:49.660 we counted the number of trees in that grid cell, 01:21:49.660 --> 01:21:52.870 we also identified what the length of those trees are, 01:21:52.870 --> 01:21:55.090 how far they are from our lines, 01:21:55.090 --> 01:21:58.160 and that if that tree fell on the line, 01:21:58.160 --> 01:22:00.820 what would be the distance of the point of contact 01:22:00.820 --> 01:22:02.850 to the top of that tree? 01:22:02.850 --> 01:22:04.970 And we summed that up or all the trees 01:22:04.970 --> 01:22:07.090 within the two kilometer by two kilometer grid cell. 01:22:07.090 --> 01:22:09.920 And that's how we assigned a numerical value, 01:22:09.920 --> 01:22:12.940 which we call the tree overstrike risk. 01:22:12.940 --> 01:22:16.620 And that the key factor that goes into the probabilistic 01:22:16.620 --> 01:22:18.640 model for 2021, because now, 01:22:18.640 --> 01:22:21.930 then we were able to correlate that, to see, 01:22:21.930 --> 01:22:26.750 is that factor relevant for wind caused outages? 01:22:26.750 --> 01:22:31.090 And it absolutely is, it's intuitive, right? 01:22:31.090 --> 01:22:33.180 The greater, the overstrike risk, 01:22:33.180 --> 01:22:35.050 the greater the likelihood of an outage 01:22:35.050 --> 01:22:38.050 that could potentially occur at a given wind speed. 01:22:38.050 --> 01:22:40.680 So that's basically the fundamental premise 01:22:40.680 --> 01:22:42.130 and the level of granularity that we have 01:22:42.130 --> 01:22:46.420 on the area of LIDAR and the overstrike tree risk criteria. 01:22:46.420 --> 01:22:48.420 So hope that helps, and I don't know, Scott, 01:22:48.420 --> 01:22:50.350 if you want to add anything to that. 01:22:50.350 --> 01:22:51.183 It does. 01:22:51.183 --> 01:22:54.143 And so, through 2021 protocols, 01:22:55.520 --> 01:23:00.520 that information was sent into those assessments 01:23:00.770 --> 01:23:05.597 that was about approximately 4.75 events per year 01:23:05.597 --> 01:23:07.860 so forth and so on. 01:23:07.860 --> 01:23:11.323 All that granulated information went into this estimate. 01:23:15.310 --> 01:23:20.310 A few more point two five 01:23:20.450 --> 01:23:24.743 additional events per year versus the 2020 protocols. 01:23:32.100 --> 01:23:33.960 Okay, all right, thank you. 01:23:33.960 --> 01:23:34.840 That's correct, Commissioner. 01:23:34.840 --> 01:23:38.760 So we talk about of the overstrike tree risk value 01:23:38.760 --> 01:23:42.620 was directly incorporated into the machine learning 01:23:42.620 --> 01:23:44.810 ignition probability model. 01:23:44.810 --> 01:23:47.540 And we use that model that we've been talking about 01:23:47.540 --> 01:23:51.690 all afternoon to do this backcast analysis, 01:23:51.690 --> 01:23:54.030 that basically again, 01:23:54.030 --> 01:23:55.660 to the best of our ability with the crystal ball, 01:23:55.660 --> 01:23:57.310 if all things were the same this year 01:23:57.310 --> 01:24:00.300 as completed last four years, especially with the winds, 01:24:00.300 --> 01:24:03.980 we would see a slight increase in frequency, 01:24:03.980 --> 01:24:07.060 and then we would see a slight increase in customer count 01:24:07.060 --> 01:24:08.760 for the largest event that we had. 01:24:12.430 --> 01:24:15.300 Sumeet, I have a question. 01:24:15.300 --> 01:24:17.640 I'm gonna go at it a different angle 01:24:17.640 --> 01:24:19.495 than I think Commissioner Rechtschaffen 01:24:19.495 --> 01:24:21.400 and Commissioner Shiroma did, 01:24:21.400 --> 01:24:23.230 but sort of in the same area. 01:24:23.230 --> 01:24:24.927 So, all in all, 01:24:27.560 --> 01:24:30.800 this shows, I'm pointing, sorry. 01:24:30.800 --> 01:24:35.800 This shows event frequency likely to rise, 01:24:35.900 --> 01:24:38.560 event duration likely to rise, 01:24:38.560 --> 01:24:41.620 affected customers likely to rise. 01:24:41.620 --> 01:24:43.743 Basically if you ignore the second column, 01:24:46.573 --> 01:24:47.640 this is, two-part kind of, 01:24:47.640 --> 01:24:52.023 what are the other factors contributing to those increases? 01:24:54.250 --> 01:24:55.800 So, President Batjer, 01:24:55.800 --> 01:25:00.800 what's primarily driving that is the tree overstrike, 01:25:01.030 --> 01:25:03.433 because that is a factor that we added. 01:25:05.050 --> 01:25:07.490 We have also, I mean, 01:25:07.490 --> 01:25:09.410 I would say that that's the primary factor 01:25:09.410 --> 01:25:10.679 at the end of the day, 01:25:10.679 --> 01:25:13.660 because what we haven't included in here, 01:25:13.660 --> 01:25:18.660 because it's a dynamic set of information, right? 01:25:18.693 --> 01:25:21.550 It's the third element that we discussed 01:25:21.550 --> 01:25:24.860 on the vegetation and asset condition 01:25:24.860 --> 01:25:26.870 that has not been incorporated in this analysis, 01:25:26.870 --> 01:25:29.660 because that obviously is dynamic 01:25:29.660 --> 01:25:33.010 and it's gonna be event by event based, you know, 01:25:33.010 --> 01:25:35.330 the number of priority open tasks we have today 01:25:35.330 --> 01:25:37.820 are gonna be different than what they are 15 days from now. 01:25:37.820 --> 01:25:41.300 So we've tried to keep this, you know, 01:25:41.300 --> 01:25:44.340 more specifically to the 2021 protocol 01:25:44.340 --> 01:25:48.390 and it's primarily driven by the tree overstrike. 01:25:48.390 --> 01:25:53.340 So, second question, kind of a therefore on 01:25:55.410 --> 01:25:57.163 the customer impact. 01:26:00.140 --> 01:26:05.120 It seems to me that more customers will be impacted, 01:26:05.120 --> 01:26:07.210 in across Northern California, 01:26:07.210 --> 01:26:12.210 particularly in the Eastern and rural areas. 01:26:12.550 --> 01:26:16.563 So okay, Butte county, Placer, 01:26:17.620 --> 01:26:20.490 the areas that have seen the most 01:26:20.490 --> 01:26:23.480 in terms of high fire, as well as 01:26:26.210 --> 01:26:27.863 most PSPSs as well. 01:26:27.863 --> 01:26:29.930 Some of the other areas in Northern California, 01:26:29.930 --> 01:26:32.900 like the Wine country too, but yeah. 01:26:32.900 --> 01:26:35.550 Is that where this is going to have a greater impact? 01:26:36.740 --> 01:26:38.630 That's currently our forecast, 01:26:38.630 --> 01:26:40.770 that it's gonna have a slightly greater 01:26:41.760 --> 01:26:44.910 potential frequency impact in those communities 01:26:44.910 --> 01:26:48.310 that obviously have those strike potential trees. 01:26:48.310 --> 01:26:51.040 So that's our forecast, 01:26:51.040 --> 01:26:54.779 but it's not as significant, President Batjer as, 01:26:54.779 --> 01:26:56.990 you know, what we had originally forecasted 01:26:56.990 --> 01:26:59.340 back in April because of the advancements 01:26:59.340 --> 01:27:00.840 we've been able to make in our predictive 01:27:00.840 --> 01:27:02.043 modeling capabilities. 01:27:04.210 --> 01:27:05.910 Which is really the second column. 01:27:08.440 --> 01:27:12.920 Then that's gonna be narrowing the area 01:27:12.920 --> 01:27:17.020 and being more precise about who is called, 01:27:17.020 --> 01:27:19.340 or where you're gonna be de-energizing. 01:27:19.340 --> 01:27:21.150 That's correct President. 01:27:21.150 --> 01:27:21.983 Okay. 01:27:24.400 --> 01:27:25.780 Can I ask you a question? 01:27:25.780 --> 01:27:30.490 I mean, I'm just thinking that if we know this 01:27:30.490 --> 01:27:33.110 and you're kind of aware of areas 01:27:33.110 --> 01:27:36.000 that are gonna be most impacted, 01:27:36.000 --> 01:27:39.560 how much are you considering doing mitigation work, 01:27:39.560 --> 01:27:42.260 other than, you know, 01:27:42.260 --> 01:27:44.540 the mitigation on tree removal 01:27:44.540 --> 01:27:46.260 and I mean mitigation with, 01:27:46.260 --> 01:27:51.260 how are you amplifying the effort to prepare the community, 01:27:51.260 --> 01:27:55.440 to, whether it's a different way of providing power 01:27:55.440 --> 01:27:59.860 or backup power, I mean, 01:27:59.860 --> 01:28:02.400 I think these folks are disproportionately 01:28:02.400 --> 01:28:06.240 being impacted by these power shutoffs. 01:28:06.240 --> 01:28:10.560 They also are generally, not all of them, 01:28:10.560 --> 01:28:12.660 but a lot of them underserved 01:28:12.660 --> 01:28:15.530 and they're members of the community. 01:28:15.530 --> 01:28:17.280 They really get impacted by this. 01:28:17.280 --> 01:28:19.710 So, give us some sense on how you do it, 01:28:19.710 --> 01:28:21.380 'cause it's kind of going in the opposite direction 01:28:21.380 --> 01:28:23.930 that we want to be going into with regards to that. 01:28:23.930 --> 01:28:25.500 And I understand it's more surgical, 01:28:25.500 --> 01:28:29.120 but give us an idea of how you're gonna address 01:28:29.120 --> 01:28:30.320 the other piece of that. 01:28:31.387 --> 01:28:34.960 Sure, thank you, Dr. Ghilarducci for that question. 01:28:34.960 --> 01:28:37.666 There's a number of things that we're doing, 01:28:37.666 --> 01:28:40.110 and I was gonna touch on that in the later presentation, 01:28:40.110 --> 01:28:41.300 but I'm glad you brought that question up. 01:28:41.300 --> 01:28:42.810 We can hit that now. 01:28:42.810 --> 01:28:45.150 So, you know, we are obviously focusing 01:28:45.150 --> 01:28:50.150 on the implementation of our specialization devices, right? 01:28:50.260 --> 01:28:53.630 So that those customers that, 01:28:53.630 --> 01:28:56.040 we can support their segment 01:28:56.040 --> 01:28:59.190 and that really becomes more complimentary 01:28:59.190 --> 01:29:01.190 to the infrastructure investment that we make, 01:29:01.190 --> 01:29:03.640 so that the weather forecast, 01:29:03.640 --> 01:29:06.380 we can drive parody to the way that we can actually 01:29:06.380 --> 01:29:08.890 de-energize the circuit and not necessarily 01:29:08.890 --> 01:29:12.050 have to de-energize outside of the potential forecasted 01:29:12.050 --> 01:29:14.560 at risk area, to the extent that's 01:29:14.560 --> 01:29:17.150 physically possible and electrically possible 01:29:17.150 --> 01:29:19.310 based on the configuration of the system itself. 01:29:19.310 --> 01:29:21.950 So that's one, second is, you know, 01:29:21.950 --> 01:29:24.790 we're continuing to expand our micro grids. 01:29:24.790 --> 01:29:27.330 We had four micro grids that were operational. 01:29:27.330 --> 01:29:29.230 One example is Pollock Pines, right? 01:29:29.230 --> 01:29:31.370 We have more than 60 critical services 01:29:31.370 --> 01:29:33.010 that we are providing service of, 01:29:33.010 --> 01:29:34.660 including critical facilities, 01:29:34.660 --> 01:29:36.760 like the fire station, pharmacy. 01:29:36.760 --> 01:29:40.202 And we are doubling the number of distribution micro grids 01:29:40.202 --> 01:29:41.993 going into this year. 01:29:42.856 --> 01:29:45.620 You know, we are continuing and we'll be providing 01:29:45.620 --> 01:29:48.460 temporary generation at some of our substations. 01:29:48.460 --> 01:29:51.040 And this really would be in areas where 01:29:51.040 --> 01:29:54.200 there's a potential impact to the transmission line 01:29:54.200 --> 01:29:55.850 that may be coming into the substation 01:29:55.850 --> 01:29:57.210 that we have to de-energize because 01:29:57.210 --> 01:29:58.520 it's at high risk, 01:29:58.520 --> 01:30:00.990 but then have the ability to be able to set up temporary 01:30:00.990 --> 01:30:02.910 interconnection like we did last year 01:30:02.910 --> 01:30:06.020 and still maintain service to the downstream 01:30:06.020 --> 01:30:09.290 urban type of environment and set up. 01:30:09.290 --> 01:30:14.290 And then more specifically targeting our medical baseline 01:30:16.170 --> 01:30:17.840 access functional need customers. 01:30:17.840 --> 01:30:21.320 We are more than doubling our portable battery program 01:30:21.320 --> 01:30:22.827 that we had in place last year. 01:30:22.827 --> 01:30:27.460 So we have 6,500 portable batteries that we had deployed. 01:30:27.460 --> 01:30:31.940 Our goal this year is to make available a portable battery, 01:30:31.940 --> 01:30:34.820 for any one of our low income medical baseline customers 01:30:34.820 --> 01:30:37.590 that is interested within the high fire threat district. 01:30:37.590 --> 01:30:40.480 And I say it that way, because as you know, 01:30:40.480 --> 01:30:41.480 better than I do that, 01:30:41.480 --> 01:30:44.060 depending on the device and the amount of energy 01:30:44.060 --> 01:30:46.403 that's needed, in some cases, you know, 01:30:46.403 --> 01:30:49.750 a portable battery may not be sufficient. 01:30:49.750 --> 01:30:52.593 So in those cases, we would work with the CFILC, 01:30:53.710 --> 01:30:55.947 the California foundation of independent living centers 01:30:55.947 --> 01:30:57.610 and the community based organizations 01:30:57.610 --> 01:30:59.260 that we have partnerships with. 01:30:59.260 --> 01:31:02.130 And we've expanded those partnerships this year, 01:31:02.130 --> 01:31:04.380 we have more than 270 plus partners now. 01:31:04.380 --> 01:31:07.140 So that's been expanded by more than 30% last year 01:31:07.140 --> 01:31:10.900 to provide offerings like transportation, 01:31:10.900 --> 01:31:15.380 hotel accommodations, food, and meal replacement. 01:31:15.380 --> 01:31:18.470 So those are the specific types of services 01:31:18.470 --> 01:31:20.310 that we are bringing to bear. 01:31:20.310 --> 01:31:23.670 In addition to that, we have continued our engagement, 01:31:23.670 --> 01:31:26.020 you know, working with our public safety partners 01:31:26.020 --> 01:31:29.410 that are part of PG&E with the local county leadership, 01:31:29.410 --> 01:31:32.680 tribal communities, to be able to provide 01:31:32.680 --> 01:31:36.560 and align on additional customer resource centers. 01:31:36.560 --> 01:31:39.030 So we are increasing the number of customer resource centers 01:31:39.030 --> 01:31:41.570 that are gonna be available this year as well. 01:31:41.570 --> 01:31:45.050 So those are all of the things that we're doing, 01:31:45.050 --> 01:31:47.000 Director Ghilarducci, as part of this. 01:31:47.000 --> 01:31:49.280 And then I would say not longterm, 01:31:49.280 --> 01:31:50.830 but more midterm, 01:31:50.830 --> 01:31:53.960 especially in those areas that we have seen 01:31:53.960 --> 01:31:57.230 with a high frequency of PSPS events, 01:31:57.230 --> 01:31:58.870 and especially in the counties we're talking about with 01:31:58.870 --> 01:32:02.190 Butte and Plumas, Shasta, 01:32:02.190 --> 01:32:04.300 that's where we are prioritizing 01:32:04.300 --> 01:32:06.280 our system hardening work. 01:32:06.280 --> 01:32:07.900 So that includes the covered conductor, 01:32:07.900 --> 01:32:10.490 as well as the undergrounding work, 01:32:10.490 --> 01:32:12.640 you know, that we also recently announced, 01:32:12.640 --> 01:32:16.130 but again, that's not a 2021 kind of delivery, 01:32:16.130 --> 01:32:19.410 but we have those projects in flight now, 01:32:19.410 --> 01:32:22.330 so that we can start to reduce that impact 01:32:22.330 --> 01:32:24.470 from a grid infrastructure hardening perspective 01:32:24.470 --> 01:32:26.200 as we get into 2022 and beyond. 01:32:26.200 --> 01:32:28.590 So those are all of the things that we're doing 01:32:28.590 --> 01:32:30.840 both on the electrical grid side, 01:32:30.840 --> 01:32:35.460 as well as at the very local one-on-one with the customer, 01:32:35.460 --> 01:32:37.423 as well as the community level. 01:32:39.370 --> 01:32:42.523 So follow on question to that, 01:32:42.523 --> 01:32:44.563 just to be really precise, 01:32:46.210 --> 01:32:51.190 where this new tree overstrike is being impacted, 01:32:51.190 --> 01:32:54.960 is it all potential circuits that were already 01:32:54.960 --> 01:32:57.170 sort of under PSPS consideration, 01:32:57.170 --> 01:33:00.195 a subset of, or a subset of, 01:33:00.195 --> 01:33:01.028 so that's the first question. 01:33:01.028 --> 01:33:05.220 And then is there a higher concentration 01:33:05.220 --> 01:33:09.776 of potential additional events in certain segments? 01:33:09.776 --> 01:33:11.550 Does that make sense, what I'm asking? 01:33:11.550 --> 01:33:13.730 Yeah, I understand what you're asking Caroline, 01:33:13.730 --> 01:33:15.700 and that's the analysis that we're actually 01:33:15.700 --> 01:33:16.533 working through now, 01:33:16.533 --> 01:33:19.200 because we've done kind of a system wide analysis. 01:33:19.200 --> 01:33:21.756 And also let me just be clear about one piece, right? 01:33:21.756 --> 01:33:23.950 And I think we included this comment 01:33:23.950 --> 01:33:26.390 in our July 24th reply comment to the proposed 01:33:26.390 --> 01:33:28.650 resolution of that Commission put forward. 01:33:28.650 --> 01:33:32.920 Related to this issue, is that given that we've got 01:33:32.920 --> 01:33:35.900 an integrated ignition probability model, 01:33:35.900 --> 01:33:38.470 it gets very difficult for us just to parse out 01:33:38.470 --> 01:33:40.640 the tree overstrike factor, right? 01:33:40.640 --> 01:33:42.840 Because there's a number of changes we've made, right? 01:33:42.840 --> 01:33:44.473 We walked through that, for example, 01:33:44.473 --> 01:33:48.100 we were using a Black Swan type of a criteria, 01:33:48.100 --> 01:33:50.463 now we're using the Technosylva fire spread model. 01:33:50.463 --> 01:33:52.610 We were using a logistical regression model, 01:33:52.610 --> 01:33:54.810 now we're using a random force machine learning 01:33:54.810 --> 01:33:56.010 predictive model. 01:33:56.010 --> 01:33:59.920 So what we're able to do is look at what the impact would be 01:33:59.920 --> 01:34:02.460 at the system level and at the community level 01:34:02.460 --> 01:34:06.523 using the 2020 criteria, and then using the 2021 criteria. 01:34:07.420 --> 01:34:10.410 And that's the analysis that we're working through 01:34:10.410 --> 01:34:11.670 right now, Caroline, 01:34:11.670 --> 01:34:14.920 and we'll have that done by the end of this month 01:34:14.920 --> 01:34:17.370 to be able to provide the same type of insights 01:34:17.370 --> 01:34:20.730 that we provided coming out of our April discussions 01:34:20.730 --> 01:34:21.910 that we had in methodology. 01:34:21.910 --> 01:34:25.200 So that's exactly the process that we're in now, 01:34:25.200 --> 01:34:27.420 because we're getting the same questions 01:34:27.420 --> 01:34:29.140 from our local partners as well, right? 01:34:29.140 --> 01:34:31.370 Because we have them calibrated 01:34:31.370 --> 01:34:32.870 on kind of that middle column, 01:34:32.870 --> 01:34:34.530 because that's the best available capability 01:34:34.530 --> 01:34:35.807 we had in place, 01:34:35.807 --> 01:34:37.550 and the reason why we had to put that in place 01:34:37.550 --> 01:34:40.060 is because we did not have the models 01:34:40.060 --> 01:34:41.500 that we're talking about now in place 01:34:41.500 --> 01:34:43.480 that the teams have been working very hard on 01:34:43.480 --> 01:34:45.120 and before any model gets put in place, 01:34:45.120 --> 01:34:49.150 we have to ensure that it's calibrated, it's validated. 01:34:49.150 --> 01:34:50.890 It's got to go through that process. 01:34:50.890 --> 01:34:51.900 Now we have that confidence, 01:34:51.900 --> 01:34:54.170 which is why we're shifting and moving to that. 01:34:54.170 --> 01:34:56.290 And the reason we anchored on, kind of, that middle column 01:34:56.290 --> 01:35:01.290 is because, if we had a PSPS event between April and August, 01:35:01.900 --> 01:35:04.990 we needed to have, you know, a upgraded model 01:35:04.990 --> 01:35:07.405 or revised model as compared to what we had in 2020. 01:35:07.405 --> 01:35:09.460 So that was the whole premise by which we did that. 01:35:09.460 --> 01:35:12.630 But to keep it short, we will have that analysis, 01:35:12.630 --> 01:35:15.030 we'll have to share that with you as well. 01:35:15.030 --> 01:35:18.888 We'll be sharing that with all the local community leaders 01:35:18.888 --> 01:35:21.138 as we complete that by the end of this month. 01:35:26.370 --> 01:35:29.303 Can I ask a question about the covered conductors? 01:35:30.530 --> 01:35:32.160 Sure, sure. 01:35:32.160 --> 01:35:33.790 You're covered conductors, 01:35:33.790 --> 01:35:36.980 how much of the lines are you doing covered conducting, 01:35:36.980 --> 01:35:40.043 versus undergrounding efforts. 01:35:41.180 --> 01:35:43.560 Yeah, so if you look at... 01:35:43.560 --> 01:35:45.450 Let's just go to that slide. 01:35:45.450 --> 01:35:46.573 It's slide 10. 01:35:48.670 --> 01:35:53.660 So far we've done 547 miles. 01:35:53.660 --> 01:35:57.880 If you look at the category of system hardening 01:35:57.880 --> 01:36:01.250 and within system hardening itself, 01:36:01.250 --> 01:36:04.930 we have approximately, and a large majority of that 01:36:04.930 --> 01:36:09.030 is covered conductor with the exception of about 12 01:36:09.030 --> 01:36:13.320 or so miles that is undergrounded, of that 547. 01:36:13.320 --> 01:36:14.960 And most of that undergrounding 01:36:14.960 --> 01:36:17.520 has actually been in areas of fire rebuild. 01:36:17.520 --> 01:36:19.850 And this does not include the 30 plus miles 01:36:19.850 --> 01:36:22.210 we have completed in Paradise. 01:36:22.210 --> 01:36:25.963 So the 30 plus miles to be incremental to the 547. 01:36:26.990 --> 01:36:27.823 Got it. 01:36:30.090 --> 01:36:35.080 Once you covered the covered conductor process, 01:36:35.080 --> 01:36:38.960 do you take those areas out of PSPS, 01:36:38.960 --> 01:36:41.963 or are they still subject to PSPS? 01:36:42.810 --> 01:36:46.470 No Director, we do not take it out of PSPS. 01:36:46.470 --> 01:36:50.580 And this is what I was attempting to describe. 01:36:50.580 --> 01:36:52.940 I didn't do as good of a job 01:36:52.940 --> 01:36:54.353 of being clear about that. 01:36:55.440 --> 01:36:58.330 Those areas that already have a covered conductor 01:36:58.330 --> 01:37:00.850 through our machine learning model, 01:37:00.850 --> 01:37:02.540 would have a higher threshold 01:37:03.390 --> 01:37:06.197 for potential de-energization. 01:37:06.197 --> 01:37:09.160 So it wouldn't be a complete exclusion 01:37:09.160 --> 01:37:10.523 under any criteria. 01:37:11.540 --> 01:37:13.610 Undergrounding would absolutely be, 01:37:13.610 --> 01:37:15.500 because we remove that risk, 01:37:15.500 --> 01:37:19.550 but overhead covered conductor is incorporated 01:37:19.550 --> 01:37:22.370 within the ignition probability. 01:37:22.370 --> 01:37:25.900 It would take a much higher threshold 01:37:25.900 --> 01:37:29.250 to create an outage or an ignition in a covered conductor 01:37:29.250 --> 01:37:30.460 as opposed to a bare conductor. 01:37:30.460 --> 01:37:33.410 So, that's incorporated into the machine learning model. 01:37:33.410 --> 01:37:34.243 I got you. 01:37:34.243 --> 01:37:39.243 So condition driven based upon what's happening at the time 01:37:39.730 --> 01:37:42.250 that you'll make that evaluation. 01:37:42.250 --> 01:37:43.083 Yes, sir. 01:37:43.083 --> 01:37:45.340 Whether or not you'll de-energize. 01:37:45.340 --> 01:37:46.700 Yes, sir. 01:37:46.700 --> 01:37:48.140 Okay. 01:37:48.140 --> 01:37:50.170 All right great, thanks. 01:37:50.170 --> 01:37:51.003 Sure. 01:37:57.270 --> 01:38:01.857 Any other questions on prior slides to slide eight? 01:38:11.290 --> 01:38:14.870 If not, let's go to slide 10 01:38:14.870 --> 01:38:19.260 and I'll just build on the additional items 01:38:19.260 --> 01:38:22.060 which I briefly spoke to in response to my question 01:38:22.060 --> 01:38:23.588 to Director Ghilarducci 01:38:23.588 --> 01:38:26.000 And what you see on this chart here, 01:38:26.000 --> 01:38:29.390 is the multitude of different upgrades 01:38:29.390 --> 01:38:32.420 that we're making to our electrical grid 01:38:32.420 --> 01:38:35.563 to reduce the impact of a PSPS. 01:38:36.640 --> 01:38:39.600 So we're continuing to upgrade our electric grid 01:38:39.600 --> 01:38:40.940 by hardening the power lines, 01:38:40.940 --> 01:38:42.347 which includes the covered conductor, 01:38:42.347 --> 01:38:45.185 and that's predominantly what we've done. 01:38:45.185 --> 01:38:46.910 You know, we obviously have recently announced 01:38:46.910 --> 01:38:49.440 the undergrounding of the 10,000 miles 01:38:49.440 --> 01:38:51.010 of distribution power lines 01:38:51.890 --> 01:38:54.620 as part of a multi-year effort. 01:38:54.620 --> 01:38:56.985 The details of that plan, 01:38:56.985 --> 01:39:00.670 it will be included as part of our 2022 01:39:00.670 --> 01:39:02.820 wildfire mitigation plan filing. 01:39:02.820 --> 01:39:07.210 So our teams are currently working on the specific details. 01:39:07.210 --> 01:39:09.160 I think there was a question 01:39:09.160 --> 01:39:13.080 that Commissioner Guzman had put forward 01:39:13.080 --> 01:39:15.150 at the beginning in the open comments, 01:39:15.150 --> 01:39:16.220 regarding the announcement. 01:39:16.220 --> 01:39:18.260 So in terms of the locations, 01:39:18.260 --> 01:39:21.290 in terms of the priority, in terms of where we go first, 01:39:21.290 --> 01:39:23.420 all of that is gonna be included as part 01:39:23.420 --> 01:39:27.180 of our 2022 WMP filing. 01:39:27.180 --> 01:39:29.160 But you know, what I'll share with you, 01:39:29.160 --> 01:39:32.160 directionally, is that we're gonna be using, 01:39:32.160 --> 01:39:35.110 you know, the risk models that we have today 01:39:35.110 --> 01:39:38.010 to help inform what are the highest risk locations 01:39:38.010 --> 01:39:39.650 of the 25,000 miles that we have 01:39:39.650 --> 01:39:41.430 in the high fire threat districts, 01:39:41.430 --> 01:39:45.120 those locations that have ingress egress challenges, 01:39:45.120 --> 01:39:47.420 those locations that have a high number 01:39:47.420 --> 01:39:49.890 of strike potential trees. 01:39:49.890 --> 01:39:52.650 Those would be the candidates, you know, 01:39:52.650 --> 01:39:54.720 from an undergrounding perspective. 01:39:54.720 --> 01:39:58.180 And we have actually already operationalized some of that. 01:39:58.180 --> 01:40:00.687 And what you're gonna see is, in the 2022 plan, 01:40:00.687 --> 01:40:04.073 and we forecasted this in the 2021 plan 01:40:04.073 --> 01:40:06.940 that we submitted, that for system hardening, 01:40:06.940 --> 01:40:10.560 we're looking to ramp our pace closer to 450 to 500 miles 01:40:10.560 --> 01:40:12.010 going into next year. 01:40:12.010 --> 01:40:14.620 And what we're seeing is nearly 30% of that, 01:40:14.620 --> 01:40:17.750 either being undergrounded or being served through 01:40:17.750 --> 01:40:19.930 a remote grid, that type of a setup. 01:40:19.930 --> 01:40:22.580 And that's kind of what our engineering teams 01:40:22.580 --> 01:40:24.253 are currently scoping out. 01:40:25.510 --> 01:40:29.072 We're installing the sectionalization devices, 01:40:29.072 --> 01:40:31.090 as I mentioned previously. 01:40:31.090 --> 01:40:35.640 And then we're continuing to have preparedness 01:40:35.640 --> 01:40:37.400 for our temporary generation 01:40:37.400 --> 01:40:39.780 and our distribution micro-grids 01:40:39.780 --> 01:40:41.340 that we'll have operational. 01:40:41.340 --> 01:40:44.170 All of these work streams are on schedule for completion. 01:40:44.170 --> 01:40:48.210 So for example, the 279 sectionalization devices, 01:40:48.210 --> 01:40:50.700 we're gonna have done by September 1st. 01:40:50.700 --> 01:40:55.280 The locations for temporary interconnect on substations, 01:40:55.280 --> 01:40:57.180 because this is data as of the end of June, 01:40:57.180 --> 01:40:58.200 that's already been completed. 01:40:58.200 --> 01:40:59.960 We completed that earlier this month. 01:40:59.960 --> 01:41:03.433 So many of these PSPS mitigation activities, 01:41:04.320 --> 01:41:06.580 we have an internal target to get them done 01:41:06.580 --> 01:41:09.640 by September 1st, because once we get into September, 01:41:09.640 --> 01:41:11.530 we start to see a higher likelihood 01:41:11.530 --> 01:41:15.643 of potential PSPS risk from a de-energization standpoint. 01:41:21.360 --> 01:41:25.860 Any questions on that before I touch on the last topic, 01:41:25.860 --> 01:41:27.010 regarding the improvements, 01:41:27.010 --> 01:41:28.203 and some of these I've already touched on 01:41:28.203 --> 01:41:31.720 related to the support that we're bringing 01:41:31.720 --> 01:41:33.480 to bear for our customers and our communities 01:41:33.480 --> 01:41:35.573 before, during and after PSPS events. 01:41:38.750 --> 01:41:41.859 Oh, I'm sorry, President Batjer. 01:41:41.859 --> 01:41:44.460 No Darcie, you go ahead. 01:41:44.460 --> 01:41:45.730 You haven't asked a question yet, 01:41:45.730 --> 01:41:46.563 so please go ahead. 01:41:46.563 --> 01:41:48.070 And then I'll have another one. 01:41:49.060 --> 01:41:52.610 On the miles that you identified here 01:41:52.610 --> 01:41:56.380 for system hardening and other upgrades, 01:41:56.380 --> 01:41:58.090 I don't know if you can answer this question now, 01:41:58.090 --> 01:42:00.270 but how many, if any of those miles, 01:42:00.270 --> 01:42:02.010 are gonna be included in the miles 01:42:02.010 --> 01:42:03.613 you're proposing to underground. 01:42:05.402 --> 01:42:07.380 Yeah, thank you for that question. 01:42:07.380 --> 01:42:10.320 That absolutely is gonna be a key input 01:42:10.320 --> 01:42:12.050 for our detailed plan, but you know, 01:42:12.050 --> 01:42:13.780 what I can share with you is, you know, 01:42:13.780 --> 01:42:16.363 our focus is gonna be on the areas, 01:42:17.240 --> 01:42:18.840 where we have a bare conductor, right? 01:42:18.840 --> 01:42:20.980 Because that poses the greatest risk 01:42:21.980 --> 01:42:24.410 and especially those areas where 01:42:24.410 --> 01:42:25.830 there's a main thoroughfare 01:42:25.830 --> 01:42:28.210 and the primary ingress egress route 01:42:28.210 --> 01:42:31.660 that has, you know, the legacy design, 01:42:31.660 --> 01:42:34.470 I would say in construction that has a smaller poles, 01:42:34.470 --> 01:42:36.510 the bare conductor and a high number 01:42:36.510 --> 01:42:37.970 of strike potential trees, 01:42:37.970 --> 01:42:41.610 those would be the areas that we would be targeting first 01:42:41.610 --> 01:42:44.423 from a prioritization perspective for undergrounding. 01:42:45.750 --> 01:42:46.920 Thank you. 01:42:46.920 --> 01:42:47.753 Sure. 01:42:50.130 --> 01:42:51.060 Okay, Sumeet, 01:42:51.060 --> 01:42:53.915 I have another question that goes 01:42:53.915 --> 01:42:56.693 to your hardening of the system. 01:42:58.510 --> 01:43:02.243 You have the exempt and non-exempt fuses, 01:43:03.270 --> 01:43:08.270 and you have hardened with putting in the exempt fuses. 01:43:09.820 --> 01:43:12.240 The non-exempt fuses, obviously, 01:43:12.240 --> 01:43:14.470 you still have to do the veg management. 01:43:14.470 --> 01:43:18.030 I can't remember how many feet underneath the pole 01:43:18.030 --> 01:43:21.270 where there's an a non-exempt fuse. 01:43:21.270 --> 01:43:26.270 So are you progressing in dealing with the fuses 01:43:28.840 --> 01:43:31.800 that are non-exempt and putting in 01:43:31.800 --> 01:43:33.900 the, what I guess you could refer to as, 01:43:33.900 --> 01:43:38.333 safer or more hardened exempt fuses. 01:43:39.440 --> 01:43:40.940 We are President Batjer. 01:43:40.940 --> 01:43:44.520 So we have a two-pronged approach, 01:43:44.520 --> 01:43:45.810 actually, a three-pronged approach, right? 01:43:45.810 --> 01:43:47.250 So you touched on one, 01:43:47.250 --> 01:43:50.670 which is where we're doing system hardening, 01:43:50.670 --> 01:43:55.500 not only are we doing and installing bigger poles 01:43:55.500 --> 01:43:59.370 that are more resilient, not just from a fire prevention, 01:43:59.370 --> 01:44:01.230 but a fire resiliency perspective. 01:44:01.230 --> 01:44:02.880 So we're using composite poles 01:44:02.880 --> 01:44:07.230 or wood poles that have what we call intermittent wrap. 01:44:07.230 --> 01:44:09.750 We're also covering the bare conductor. 01:44:09.750 --> 01:44:11.480 We're also using rapper guards, 01:44:11.480 --> 01:44:15.630 to mitigate any animal contacts that can result 01:44:15.630 --> 01:44:16.720 in a potential ignition. 01:44:16.720 --> 01:44:21.160 So that's what we call our overhead hardening design. 01:44:21.160 --> 01:44:22.090 And as part of that, 01:44:22.090 --> 01:44:25.970 we're also replacing any non-exempt piece of equipment. 01:44:25.970 --> 01:44:28.700 So that's one avenue. 01:44:28.700 --> 01:44:30.890 The second avenue, which you also mentioned 01:44:30.890 --> 01:44:35.280 is, in accordance with the public resource code requirement, 01:44:35.280 --> 01:44:38.620 we do vegetation management underneath the poles 01:44:38.620 --> 01:44:40.130 that have the non-exempt equipment. 01:44:40.130 --> 01:44:43.610 So we clear a minimum of 10 foot radius underneath 01:44:43.610 --> 01:44:45.720 the pole, eight foot high. 01:44:45.720 --> 01:44:50.180 So that's consistent with the PRC requirements. 01:44:50.180 --> 01:44:53.630 And then the third, is we also separately have 01:44:53.630 --> 01:44:57.093 a proactive program because we know that hardening 01:44:57.093 --> 01:44:59.100 a pixel at a time, 01:44:59.100 --> 01:45:04.100 we're gonna get to a pace of 450 to 500 miles next year 01:45:04.270 --> 01:45:05.372 which will probably ramp up 01:45:05.372 --> 01:45:08.730 as we continue to layer in additional undergrounding, 01:45:08.730 --> 01:45:10.570 but we have, what we call, 01:45:10.570 --> 01:45:15.570 a high fire ignition risk component replacement program. 01:45:16.900 --> 01:45:18.180 And the reason why we have that is because 01:45:18.180 --> 01:45:20.270 we know that there are certain components 01:45:20.270 --> 01:45:21.260 that are more prone, 01:45:21.260 --> 01:45:24.910 that if they fail, could create an ignition risk. 01:45:24.910 --> 01:45:27.220 The non-exempt fuses or expulsion fuses 01:45:27.220 --> 01:45:29.120 to the example that you're talking about. 01:45:29.120 --> 01:45:32.240 So we've doubled the pace of that program from last year, 01:45:32.240 --> 01:45:36.940 and we're looking to get 1200 of those replaced, 01:45:36.940 --> 01:45:38.930 incremental to system hardening, 01:45:38.930 --> 01:45:40.860 incremental to veg control. 01:45:40.860 --> 01:45:45.380 So we're proactively replacing just those fuses. 01:45:45.380 --> 01:45:48.680 We have a very similar program that we've stood up 01:45:48.680 --> 01:45:52.130 for potential transformers that could be at risk 01:45:52.130 --> 01:45:54.960 of being overloaded because of the heat conditions, 01:45:54.960 --> 01:45:57.153 because when they get into an overloaded condition 01:45:57.153 --> 01:45:58.820 that could result in a failure, 01:45:58.820 --> 01:46:01.090 that failure could result in a potential ignition, 01:46:01.090 --> 01:46:02.657 and obviously with the type of conditions 01:46:02.657 --> 01:46:04.510 we're talking about now, 01:46:04.510 --> 01:46:06.720 that ignition could turn more catastrophic. 01:46:06.720 --> 01:46:08.920 So we have another part of that 01:46:08.920 --> 01:46:11.650 fire ignition replacement program 01:46:11.650 --> 01:46:13.830 that looks at overloaded transformers. 01:46:13.830 --> 01:46:18.830 So that's absolutely part of one of our commitments 01:46:18.920 --> 01:46:21.043 in the 2021 WMP that'd be filed. 01:46:25.013 --> 01:46:25.957 [President Batjer] Thank you. 01:46:26.860 --> 01:46:27.923 My pleasure. 01:46:31.510 --> 01:46:34.677 Okay, no additional questions on that. 01:46:37.094 --> 01:46:39.743 Let's go to slide 12. 01:46:46.717 --> 01:46:49.370 (indistinct) 01:46:49.370 --> 01:46:50.990 Thank you. 01:46:50.990 --> 01:46:54.840 So let me touch on some of the additional 01:46:55.780 --> 01:46:57.400 capabilities that we're building upon 01:46:57.400 --> 01:47:00.427 from last year related to supporting our customers 01:47:00.427 --> 01:47:02.973 and our communities during PSPS events. 01:47:03.960 --> 01:47:08.960 So we have continued to engage with our customers, 01:47:09.040 --> 01:47:14.040 with our local community leaders through surveys, 01:47:14.560 --> 01:47:18.670 through in-person meetings, listening sessions, 01:47:18.670 --> 01:47:21.580 and really gauging their feedback 01:47:21.580 --> 01:47:24.640 and acting on that feedback to better support 01:47:24.640 --> 01:47:25.960 both our customers and our communities. 01:47:25.960 --> 01:47:29.410 So let me touch on some of the things that we're doing 01:47:29.410 --> 01:47:31.190 on improving our customer support, 01:47:31.190 --> 01:47:32.280 and then I'll touch on what we're doing 01:47:32.280 --> 01:47:33.780 on improving our community support. 01:47:33.780 --> 01:47:34.953 And then we'll pause again for any questions on that, 01:47:34.953 --> 01:47:36.850 then that basically wraps up 01:47:36.850 --> 01:47:39.653 the prepared presentation that we had. 01:47:40.600 --> 01:47:42.320 So one of the pieces of feedback that we received 01:47:42.320 --> 01:47:45.490 from our customers is to make our PSPS notifications 01:47:45.490 --> 01:47:48.590 more concise and also make them consistent 01:47:48.590 --> 01:47:51.800 across all different communication channels. 01:47:51.800 --> 01:47:54.900 So, one example of this is, as a result of this engagement 01:47:54.900 --> 01:47:57.620 and feedback, the IVR message, 01:47:57.620 --> 01:48:00.810 which basically is a call that gets sent out 01:48:00.810 --> 01:48:02.600 during a PSPS event, 01:48:02.600 --> 01:48:07.250 we have reduced the duration of that message by 24%. 01:48:07.250 --> 01:48:09.880 So it's close to 160 seconds as opposed to more than 01:48:09.880 --> 01:48:13.560 200 seconds to what it was last year, 01:48:13.560 --> 01:48:15.823 that's an example of one. 01:48:17.001 --> 01:48:19.580 You know, improvement or us acting on the feedback 01:48:19.580 --> 01:48:21.250 in other areas that we have launched 01:48:21.250 --> 01:48:24.040 a address alert program, 01:48:24.040 --> 01:48:26.360 and you can actually sign up for this right on our website, 01:48:26.360 --> 01:48:28.970 pge.com/address-alerts. 01:48:28.970 --> 01:48:31.460 And this is for non account holders, 01:48:31.460 --> 01:48:34.700 such as tenants and mobile home park residents 01:48:34.700 --> 01:48:37.920 to help inform them about PSPS events, 01:48:37.920 --> 01:48:42.200 either via call or a text because in our systems, 01:48:42.200 --> 01:48:45.990 they may not be the customer who has a registered account, 01:48:45.990 --> 01:48:49.063 but are serviced from a master meter, as an example. 01:48:50.380 --> 01:48:51.610 As another example, you know, 01:48:51.610 --> 01:48:54.590 we have made it easier for our customers to enroll 01:48:54.590 --> 01:48:58.150 in the medical baseline program or to self-certify 01:48:58.150 --> 01:48:59.880 for vulnerable customer status. 01:48:59.880 --> 01:49:00.713 Because as we all know, 01:49:00.713 --> 01:49:02.810 the medical baseline program is more of, 01:49:02.810 --> 01:49:06.030 you know, the customer billing type of a program 01:49:06.030 --> 01:49:08.620 and obviously disclosing the medical condition. 01:49:08.620 --> 01:49:12.470 But for those that self identify themselves as vulnerable 01:49:12.470 --> 01:49:15.180 from a communication perspective, you know, 01:49:15.180 --> 01:49:17.630 we have the same protocol with our 01:49:17.630 --> 01:49:18.790 medical baseline customers, 01:49:18.790 --> 01:49:21.700 as we do with our self certified vulnerable customer, 01:49:21.700 --> 01:49:24.670 which includes making sure we have positive confirmation 01:49:24.670 --> 01:49:27.500 from them when we make notification that they received 01:49:27.500 --> 01:49:29.110 notification from us. 01:49:29.110 --> 01:49:30.830 And if we don't achieve that, 01:49:30.830 --> 01:49:33.630 we will do a truck roll to knock on their door 01:49:33.630 --> 01:49:36.843 and make sure that we have positive confirmation. 01:49:37.790 --> 01:49:40.580 We have increased our targeted outreach 01:49:40.580 --> 01:49:41.520 through our partnerships 01:49:41.520 --> 01:49:44.870 with the community based organizations. 01:49:44.870 --> 01:49:46.990 And we've actually seen this year a significant 01:49:46.990 --> 01:49:50.310 increase in the enrollment of medical baseline customers. 01:49:50.310 --> 01:49:53.220 And we're up to about 260,000 customers now, 01:49:53.220 --> 01:49:56.023 which is nearly a 30% increase as compared to last year. 01:49:57.120 --> 01:49:58.120 I touched on, you know, 01:49:58.120 --> 01:50:00.940 the portable battery program to ensure that 01:50:00.940 --> 01:50:02.390 we make it available to all interested 01:50:02.390 --> 01:50:04.980 low-income medical baseline customers. 01:50:04.980 --> 01:50:06.590 You know, we have reached out already 01:50:06.590 --> 01:50:11.543 to 13,500 customers in this segment. 01:50:12.540 --> 01:50:16.730 We had sent outreach letters as of June 1st, 01:50:16.730 --> 01:50:18.900 and we have reached out nearly to 50% 01:50:18.900 --> 01:50:23.170 of these customers via phone calls. 01:50:23.170 --> 01:50:26.430 Last year, we deployed about 6,500 batteries. 01:50:26.430 --> 01:50:30.020 We have deployed an additional 1000 this year 01:50:30.020 --> 01:50:33.370 and we remain on target for deploying 01:50:33.370 --> 01:50:36.230 the remainder through the rest of the season. 01:50:36.230 --> 01:50:38.380 And again, we've made positive confirmation, 01:50:38.380 --> 01:50:40.580 sent the notifications out to the medical baseline customers 01:50:40.580 --> 01:50:42.230 as we hear back from them, 01:50:42.230 --> 01:50:44.770 for us to do the energy assessment, 01:50:44.770 --> 01:50:47.550 to identify which portable battery they qualify for, 01:50:47.550 --> 01:50:49.570 we're well positioned to be able to provide one 01:50:49.570 --> 01:50:51.270 either directly to them 01:50:51.270 --> 01:50:54.680 or through one of our community-based organizations. 01:50:54.680 --> 01:50:57.160 You know, recently here we are also formalizing 01:50:57.160 --> 01:50:58.640 our partnership with 01:50:58.640 --> 01:51:01.620 211 to provide our customers with trusted, 01:51:01.620 --> 01:51:04.130 localized support and resources. 01:51:04.130 --> 01:51:07.590 We anticipate that the agreement will be executed within 01:51:07.590 --> 01:51:09.520 the coming week and, you know, 01:51:09.520 --> 01:51:11.510 the agreement and the subsequent offerings 01:51:11.510 --> 01:51:14.450 through the service will be available to our customers 01:51:14.450 --> 01:51:17.100 in our service territory beginning of September. 01:51:17.100 --> 01:51:20.700 And then lastly, we heard that customers 01:51:20.700 --> 01:51:23.380 who rely on well water are most impacted. 01:51:23.380 --> 01:51:25.240 So we have expanded our generator 01:51:25.240 --> 01:51:27.210 and battery rebate programs, 01:51:27.210 --> 01:51:30.550 not just to those customers that rely on well water, 01:51:30.550 --> 01:51:33.320 which was basically the scope of our program last year, 01:51:33.320 --> 01:51:35.350 but also do medical baseline customers oversight 01:51:35.350 --> 01:51:37.090 of high fire threat districts 01:51:37.090 --> 01:51:39.790 and the customers who may be small, 01:51:39.790 --> 01:51:41.040 but essential businesses. 01:51:42.220 --> 01:51:45.890 So those are examples of the things that we continue 01:51:45.890 --> 01:51:48.810 to build upon from the feedback that we've received 01:51:48.810 --> 01:51:51.810 directly from our customers and the programs from last year. 01:51:52.694 --> 01:51:53.800 Sumeet. 01:51:53.800 --> 01:51:55.120 Yes, sir. 01:51:55.120 --> 01:51:56.210 Before you go to the next slide, 01:51:56.210 --> 01:51:59.730 can I follow up on the portable batteries. 01:51:59.730 --> 01:52:02.940 You distributed 6,200, 01:52:02.940 --> 01:52:05.470 you said another thousand are in process 01:52:05.470 --> 01:52:07.820 and that you remain on target. 01:52:07.820 --> 01:52:09.630 I didn't hear you say you remain on target. 01:52:09.630 --> 01:52:11.270 What is your target? 01:52:11.270 --> 01:52:14.580 Who's the universe of affected customers 01:52:14.580 --> 01:52:15.780 that you're trying to target 01:52:15.780 --> 01:52:20.140 and what is the number you're targeting 01:52:20.140 --> 01:52:22.590 as compared to the number you've already reached? 01:52:23.490 --> 01:52:24.950 Thank you Commissioner for that question. 01:52:24.950 --> 01:52:28.430 So I apologize for going pretty quick to those numbers. 01:52:28.430 --> 01:52:33.430 So who we're targeting is all of the interested 01:52:34.650 --> 01:52:37.360 low-income medical baseline customers 01:52:37.360 --> 01:52:39.060 in our high fire threat districts. 01:52:40.040 --> 01:52:42.440 Based on the data set that we have, 01:52:42.440 --> 01:52:47.440 we estimate that's about 13,500 customers, 01:52:49.670 --> 01:52:54.670 and we have reached out to all of those customers via mail, 01:52:54.990 --> 01:52:57.013 and that was as of June 1st. 01:52:58.730 --> 01:53:00.910 In addition to that, 01:53:00.910 --> 01:53:05.250 we have reached out to nearly 50% of those customers 01:53:05.250 --> 01:53:06.613 via phone calls. 01:53:07.855 --> 01:53:09.920 And if you look at what we deployed last year 01:53:09.920 --> 01:53:12.720 and what we have deployed this year, 01:53:12.720 --> 01:53:15.143 we're right about a 7,500. 01:53:16.010 --> 01:53:17.280 Now also keep in mind, Commissioner, 01:53:17.280 --> 01:53:20.980 that some of the customers here may not be interested, 01:53:20.980 --> 01:53:22.660 and some of these customers, 01:53:22.660 --> 01:53:26.370 a portable battery may not actually work 01:53:26.370 --> 01:53:29.103 because the process is after we do the reach out, 01:53:30.350 --> 01:53:33.130 we engage with one of the community based organizations 01:53:33.130 --> 01:53:36.050 locally, to do an energy assessment 01:53:36.050 --> 01:53:38.460 of their medical baseline device. 01:53:38.460 --> 01:53:41.240 Based on that energy assessment, 01:53:41.240 --> 01:53:44.760 we identify the portable batteries that we have 01:53:44.760 --> 01:53:49.760 that, would one fit, and we have a range of sizes, 01:53:49.780 --> 01:53:52.080 and if one does not, 01:53:52.080 --> 01:53:56.370 then we would offer them the services of transportation, 01:53:56.370 --> 01:53:58.840 relocation, and hotel, 01:53:58.840 --> 01:54:01.546 which obviously we cover as well 01:54:01.546 --> 01:54:05.960 through our partnership with a community-based organization. 01:54:05.960 --> 01:54:08.344 Positive to see if that answered your question, 01:54:08.344 --> 01:54:11.900 and if not, I've got some of our friends on 01:54:11.900 --> 01:54:13.930 from the local customer experience team, 01:54:13.930 --> 01:54:16.810 Vanessa and Tracy Beckin, provide more details. 01:54:16.810 --> 01:54:18.741 But I hope that helps. 01:54:18.741 --> 01:54:21.210 One quick question in two quick comments. 01:54:21.210 --> 01:54:23.800 One is, are there people on your waiting list, 01:54:23.800 --> 01:54:28.800 this season, beyond the 7,500 who want batteries? 01:54:28.910 --> 01:54:32.800 Second, I would encourage you to call more. 01:54:32.800 --> 01:54:35.044 I would encourage you to make multiple efforts 01:54:35.044 --> 01:54:39.200 every season, which you may be doing beyond the mail, 01:54:39.200 --> 01:54:41.580 the 50% that you've done by phone, 01:54:41.580 --> 01:54:43.570 because people may not respond right away 01:54:43.570 --> 01:54:45.220 or maybe hard to reach. 01:54:45.220 --> 01:54:46.053 And third of all, 01:54:46.053 --> 01:54:48.930 does the change in your 2021 protocol 01:54:48.930 --> 01:54:52.180 have any impact on who might be eligible? 01:54:52.180 --> 01:54:54.230 It may be that everyone's still within the universe 01:54:54.230 --> 01:54:55.280 of a high threat area, 01:54:55.280 --> 01:54:57.040 even if they're now more likely 01:54:57.040 --> 01:54:58.907 to be subject to the PSPS. 01:54:58.907 --> 01:55:00.560 But I don't know that question. 01:55:00.560 --> 01:55:04.650 So those are the three points or questions for you. 01:55:04.650 --> 01:55:05.890 Yep, sure. 01:55:05.890 --> 01:55:07.360 Thank you Commissioner, let me hit the second one. 01:55:07.360 --> 01:55:09.370 So our intent is not to stop at 50%, 01:55:09.370 --> 01:55:11.830 I was just giving you a quick status update, 01:55:11.830 --> 01:55:13.500 get off things where things can. 01:55:13.500 --> 01:55:14.750 Our intent is to, you know, 01:55:14.750 --> 01:55:16.960 reach out and make positive confirmation 01:55:16.960 --> 01:55:19.580 to all of our customers. 01:55:19.580 --> 01:55:21.740 In regards to the first question, 01:55:21.740 --> 01:55:23.800 regarding the wait list, 01:55:23.800 --> 01:55:27.390 let me call upon Vanessa, from our local 01:55:27.390 --> 01:55:28.653 customer experience team. 01:55:30.030 --> 01:55:33.020 So Vanessa, do you want to chime in on that please? 01:55:33.020 --> 01:55:34.449 Absolutely, Sumeet. 01:55:34.449 --> 01:55:35.900 And thank you Commissioner for the question. 01:55:35.900 --> 01:55:38.220 The only wait list that we have currently 01:55:38.220 --> 01:55:41.260 is associated with the S chip program. 01:55:41.260 --> 01:55:44.750 So from a portable battery perspective, 01:55:44.750 --> 01:55:48.310 any customer who expresses interest in a battery 01:55:48.310 --> 01:55:49.670 is going to get one delivered. 01:55:49.670 --> 01:55:51.610 It's about a two week turnaround time 01:55:51.610 --> 01:55:53.610 from the time we do the assessment 01:55:53.610 --> 01:55:55.343 till we deliver the battery. 01:55:58.920 --> 01:56:01.340 And then Commissioner, in regards to the third point, 01:56:01.340 --> 01:56:03.653 on the change in the protocol, 01:56:04.710 --> 01:56:06.890 we're basically targeting 100% 01:56:06.890 --> 01:56:09.670 of our low-income medical baseline customers 01:56:09.670 --> 01:56:11.900 in the high fire threat district footprint. 01:56:11.900 --> 01:56:16.240 So there was a service that even if we have a customer 01:56:16.240 --> 01:56:18.650 that's impacted only once or multiple times 01:56:18.650 --> 01:56:21.170 that we have made a commitment to 01:56:22.006 --> 01:56:23.963 and we will follow through. 01:56:25.910 --> 01:56:27.596 Thank you. 01:56:27.596 --> 01:56:30.850 [President Batjer] I have a follow-up question to that, 01:56:30.850 --> 01:56:33.600 which was asked by Commissioner Rechtschaffen. 01:56:33.600 --> 01:56:38.600 And that is, you're saying low income medical baseline. 01:56:39.930 --> 01:56:43.363 So you have to be low income and medical baseline, correct? 01:56:44.370 --> 01:56:45.767 Yes, President Batjer, 01:56:46.790 --> 01:56:49.693 for this specific program, the portable battery program, 01:56:49.693 --> 01:56:52.153 [President Batjer] For the portable battery, yeah. 01:56:53.000 --> 01:56:53.833 Okay. 01:56:53.833 --> 01:56:55.500 And you did say that 01:56:57.140 --> 01:57:01.820 if indeed a battery is not going to be sufficient 01:57:01.820 --> 01:57:04.540 or work well for that individual, 01:57:04.540 --> 01:57:07.500 that hotel stays, transportation, 01:57:07.500 --> 01:57:11.400 those are offered and they're not offered at a discount, 01:57:11.400 --> 01:57:15.820 but instead you fully pay, correct? 01:57:15.820 --> 01:57:17.620 Did I hear you correctly? 01:57:17.620 --> 01:57:20.095 Yeah, that's offered through... 01:57:20.095 --> 01:57:23.180 I request Vanessa do make sure I'm not mistaking anything. 01:57:23.180 --> 01:57:26.693 That's offered through, as an example, the CFILC, 01:57:28.250 --> 01:57:31.110 the California Foundation of Independent Living Centers 01:57:31.110 --> 01:57:33.680 where we have provided that grant, you know, 01:57:33.680 --> 01:57:36.320 for hotel vouchers, transportation services, 01:57:36.320 --> 01:57:37.950 but Vanessa, maybe you can, you know, 01:57:37.950 --> 01:57:41.260 directly be responsive to the question by President Batjer. 01:57:41.260 --> 01:57:42.440 Yeah, absolutely. 01:57:42.440 --> 01:57:43.460 So President Batjer, 01:57:43.460 --> 01:57:45.610 we actually connect the customer directly 01:57:45.610 --> 01:57:48.940 with the disability disaster access and resources program. 01:57:48.940 --> 01:57:52.730 That's the specific program that the CFILC has developed, 01:57:52.730 --> 01:57:56.320 and they work with the individual at the local center 01:57:56.320 --> 01:57:59.730 to identify the best location. 01:57:59.730 --> 01:58:02.010 They actually coordinate those accommodations 01:58:02.010 --> 01:58:03.890 on behalf of the individual. 01:58:03.890 --> 01:58:07.073 The individual never gets a bill. 01:58:07.073 --> 01:58:11.250 The CFILC manages all of that on behalf of the customer, 01:58:11.250 --> 01:58:14.290 if that's deemed the appropriate solution. 01:58:14.290 --> 01:58:17.280 And then one more thing I might add, is just to follow up 01:58:17.280 --> 01:58:18.420 to Sumeet's comments. 01:58:18.420 --> 01:58:20.570 So the portable battery program, 01:58:20.570 --> 01:58:22.550 where we hand over a battery, 01:58:22.550 --> 01:58:25.320 it's granted to the customer at no cost, 01:58:25.320 --> 01:58:28.950 is associated with medical baseline low-income customers 01:58:28.950 --> 01:58:31.600 in high fire threat districts or individuals 01:58:31.600 --> 01:58:33.490 that fall into those lines 01:58:33.490 --> 01:58:37.890 that have experienced two or more PSPS events. 01:58:37.890 --> 01:58:41.700 So in response to Commissioner Rechtschaffen's comments, 01:58:41.700 --> 01:58:43.290 if there was an individual who's not 01:58:43.290 --> 01:58:45.020 in the high fire threat area, 01:58:45.020 --> 01:58:47.250 but has experienced two or more events, 01:58:47.250 --> 01:58:49.160 they would also be qualified. 01:58:49.160 --> 01:58:53.030 In addition, and in the spirit of capturing 01:58:53.030 --> 01:58:55.410 those individuals who are not low income, 01:58:55.410 --> 01:58:58.821 but who are medical baseline in high fire threat areas, 01:58:58.821 --> 01:59:01.480 those are the individuals who are now qualified 01:59:01.480 --> 01:59:03.560 for our generator rebate programs, 01:59:03.560 --> 01:59:08.130 and portable batteries are one of the eligible products 01:59:08.130 --> 01:59:09.693 for that generator rebate. 01:59:11.430 --> 01:59:12.870 And how much is that? 01:59:12.870 --> 01:59:13.703 If I may ask. 01:59:14.720 --> 01:59:19.720 It varies based on the price of the selected 01:59:19.910 --> 01:59:24.320 backup power option, anywhere from $300 to $1,000. 01:59:24.320 --> 01:59:27.290 And again, it's based on the overall price of the product, 01:59:27.290 --> 01:59:31.320 and that's ultimately what it's based upon 01:59:31.320 --> 01:59:34.483 for this particular example. 01:59:35.593 --> 01:59:38.520 And I hate to be too in the weeds here, 01:59:38.520 --> 01:59:41.610 but do you have any sense of how soon 01:59:41.610 --> 01:59:44.100 the customer gets that rebate? 01:59:44.100 --> 01:59:46.520 Absolutely, it's taking about 21 days 01:59:46.520 --> 01:59:49.030 from the time the application is processed 01:59:49.030 --> 01:59:50.653 until they receive that payment. 01:59:51.700 --> 01:59:53.410 Okay, thank you. 01:59:53.410 --> 01:59:54.243 Absolutely. 01:59:56.600 --> 01:59:57.650 Thank you, Vanessa. 02:00:01.270 --> 02:00:03.750 I think there may be another question. 02:00:03.750 --> 02:00:04.590 Yep. I'm sorry. 02:00:04.590 --> 02:00:07.730 What kind of feedback have you heard from tribal customers 02:00:07.730 --> 02:00:10.410 or what kind of outreach and what are you doing 02:00:10.410 --> 02:00:13.403 in regards to ensuring tribes are notified. 02:00:19.072 --> 02:00:22.905 So, let me again, start off and then request 02:00:24.100 --> 02:00:26.560 either Tracy or Vanessa to... 02:00:27.410 --> 02:00:28.610 Actually Elise, I'm sorry, 02:00:28.610 --> 02:00:30.750 Elise Hunter she's got the agency relationships. 02:00:30.750 --> 02:00:31.990 So Elise, I want to request you 02:00:31.990 --> 02:00:33.410 to chime in on this as well. 02:00:33.410 --> 02:00:38.290 So one of the things that we've done is we have stood up 02:00:38.290 --> 02:00:42.780 a tribal liaison within PG&E, 02:00:42.780 --> 02:00:45.400 that's part of our organization 02:00:45.400 --> 02:00:50.400 that has continued to interface with our tribal communities 02:00:51.010 --> 02:00:53.240 throughout 2020. 02:00:53.240 --> 02:00:57.230 And we actually have a slide in the appendix 02:00:57.230 --> 02:01:00.130 on slide 29, that identifies 02:01:00.130 --> 02:01:02.180 the federally recognized tribes, 02:01:02.180 --> 02:01:06.060 as well as the non federally recognized tribes. 02:01:06.060 --> 02:01:10.280 So we do the outreach with our liaisons 02:01:10.280 --> 02:01:15.280 that occurs before and after a PSPS event. 02:01:15.890 --> 02:01:18.370 During the PSPS event, you know, 02:01:18.370 --> 02:01:20.050 we have two travel liaisons. 02:01:20.050 --> 02:01:24.420 We have five cultural resource specialists as agency reps 02:01:24.420 --> 02:01:27.470 that are dedicated to engaging with the tribes 02:01:27.470 --> 02:01:29.760 to understand what their specific needs are. 02:01:29.760 --> 02:01:32.790 Are there specific backup generation, you know, 02:01:32.790 --> 02:01:36.110 services that they need so that in a week 02:01:36.110 --> 02:01:39.200 we can be responsive to their needs 02:01:39.200 --> 02:01:43.340 and are coordinated as tightly as we can. 02:01:43.340 --> 02:01:47.120 And we've included some of those details on slide 29, 02:01:47.120 --> 02:01:50.730 but Elise maybe you can also provide some insights 02:01:50.730 --> 02:01:53.760 on the types of specific feedback that we have received 02:01:53.760 --> 02:01:55.803 from our tribal partners. 02:01:57.340 --> 02:01:59.810 Absolutely, thank you Sumeet. 02:02:01.360 --> 02:02:04.400 First checking to make sure that you can hear me. 02:02:04.400 --> 02:02:05.300 Yes, we can hear you Elise, 02:02:05.300 --> 02:02:06.480 Thank you. 02:02:06.480 --> 02:02:08.120 Great, thank you. 02:02:08.120 --> 02:02:11.420 So I think Sumeet described the process 02:02:11.420 --> 02:02:12.985 pretty well with how we coordinate 02:02:12.985 --> 02:02:17.490 with tribal partners during PSPS events. 02:02:17.490 --> 02:02:19.110 The only thing that I might add to that 02:02:19.110 --> 02:02:21.220 is that the tribal liaison 02:02:21.220 --> 02:02:24.160 and the cultural resource specialists 02:02:24.160 --> 02:02:28.230 that we have staffing the events, 02:02:28.230 --> 02:02:30.910 hold trusted relationships with the tribes, 02:02:30.910 --> 02:02:33.760 and that is on a year round basis. 02:02:33.760 --> 02:02:36.210 So during the PSPS events, 02:02:36.210 --> 02:02:38.710 tribes will be hearing from the tribal liaison, 02:02:38.710 --> 02:02:40.930 but it's somebody that they already know 02:02:40.930 --> 02:02:43.890 and coordinate with throughout the year 02:02:43.890 --> 02:02:45.350 in terms of engagement. 02:02:45.350 --> 02:02:50.350 And we do that deliberately so that the tribes can feel 02:02:50.630 --> 02:02:53.160 comfortable raising and escalating issues 02:02:53.160 --> 02:02:55.443 as they need to throughout the events. 02:02:56.490 --> 02:03:00.319 And the types of issues that are raised 02:03:00.319 --> 02:03:02.603 by tribes during events, 02:03:03.880 --> 02:03:05.380 they can really run the gamut. 02:03:06.690 --> 02:03:11.690 But sometimes we get requests for temporary generation, 02:03:11.710 --> 02:03:12.950 other times, 02:03:12.950 --> 02:03:17.580 tribes just want some more general event information 02:03:18.610 --> 02:03:20.870 or access to our PSPS portal, 02:03:20.870 --> 02:03:25.460 which is a site that public safety partners 02:03:25.460 --> 02:03:29.410 have access to, that goes into detail 02:03:29.410 --> 02:03:34.173 about the scope of the events and maps. 02:03:35.930 --> 02:03:40.350 We also provide restoration views on the PSPS portal 02:03:40.350 --> 02:03:43.210 that are specific to a tribe, 02:03:43.210 --> 02:03:46.910 so that they can get a sense of when 02:03:46.910 --> 02:03:50.373 their particular areas might be restored from a PSPS event. 02:03:51.710 --> 02:03:55.700 And the tribal liaisons are connected 02:03:55.700 --> 02:03:58.710 directly to the central teams 02:03:58.710 --> 02:04:00.650 within our emergency operation centers 02:04:00.650 --> 02:04:02.950 so that they can escalate issues pretty quickly, 02:04:02.950 --> 02:04:05.300 and then get answers back. 02:04:05.300 --> 02:04:08.930 And those questions can be about community resource centers, 02:04:08.930 --> 02:04:10.730 it can be about tension, 02:04:10.730 --> 02:04:12.600 it can be about community-based organizations 02:04:12.600 --> 02:04:13.710 that are working in the area. 02:04:13.710 --> 02:04:16.600 We really see a range and we just do our best 02:04:16.600 --> 02:04:19.833 to respond in real time and give them what they need. 02:04:25.175 --> 02:04:27.758 [President Batjer] Thank you. 02:04:28.660 --> 02:04:30.290 Summet, I have a couple other 02:04:31.890 --> 02:04:36.363 battery related questions, if I may. 02:04:37.260 --> 02:04:42.260 I'm recalling that in public comment periods in the past, 02:04:42.720 --> 02:04:47.160 we have had some of your customers complained 02:04:47.160 --> 02:04:50.900 or being concerned that they got the backup battery, 02:04:50.900 --> 02:04:54.670 but they really didn't know how it would function. 02:04:54.670 --> 02:04:56.700 They didn't understand the direction. 02:04:56.700 --> 02:04:59.770 What sort of educational information do you, 02:04:59.770 --> 02:05:02.133 or does the CBO provide? 02:05:03.380 --> 02:05:05.810 So the customer, yes, gets the batteries, 02:05:05.810 --> 02:05:08.460 but also understands how the battery 02:05:08.460 --> 02:05:10.700 is to function for them. 02:05:10.700 --> 02:05:13.320 And along with that, 02:05:13.320 --> 02:05:18.320 are they clearly provided information on how long 02:05:18.670 --> 02:05:20.903 the battery will last, what the duration is. 02:05:23.000 --> 02:05:24.580 Thank you President Batjer. 02:05:24.580 --> 02:05:26.680 Vanessa, do you want to take that, please? 02:05:28.740 --> 02:05:30.610 Absolutely, thank you, President Batjer. 02:05:30.610 --> 02:05:33.210 So a couple of comments there. 02:05:33.210 --> 02:05:35.230 So our community-based organization, 02:05:35.230 --> 02:05:36.640 that's delivering the battery, 02:05:36.640 --> 02:05:39.690 shows the customer how to use it. 02:05:39.690 --> 02:05:41.810 Certainly in some cases, 02:05:41.810 --> 02:05:44.680 the customer, during COVID-19, 02:05:44.680 --> 02:05:47.140 there might've been challenges of going into a customer home 02:05:47.140 --> 02:05:48.590 and showing them that. 02:05:48.590 --> 02:05:51.600 But our intent is that they understand 02:05:51.600 --> 02:05:53.640 what the use of the battery is for, 02:05:53.640 --> 02:05:57.100 how to plug things in how to recharge it, et cetera. 02:05:57.100 --> 02:06:00.330 The second piece is definitely an interesting question. 02:06:00.330 --> 02:06:03.370 We give general guidelines that this is, you know, 02:06:03.370 --> 02:06:06.230 the battery should be used for the medical device 02:06:06.230 --> 02:06:09.830 and generally how long it should last 02:06:11.220 --> 02:06:14.180 considering what device is being used. 02:06:14.180 --> 02:06:17.720 Now, if customers decide to plug in additional items 02:06:17.720 --> 02:06:21.050 to that battery, that could impact 02:06:21.050 --> 02:06:24.100 the ability for it to last as long as advised. 02:06:24.100 --> 02:06:26.410 So, we do reiterate, 02:06:26.410 --> 02:06:28.820 or the community-based organization does reiterate 02:06:28.820 --> 02:06:32.030 to customers that this is simply for the medical device 02:06:32.030 --> 02:06:35.110 and that other needs could impact 02:06:35.110 --> 02:06:37.840 how long they could rely on that battery. 02:06:37.840 --> 02:06:39.730 And there are different sizes, right? 02:06:39.730 --> 02:06:41.370 We have a variety of different sizes 02:06:41.370 --> 02:06:43.700 based on what the customer need is. 02:06:43.700 --> 02:06:45.660 So based on what device they're using, 02:06:45.660 --> 02:06:48.900 we will provide the appropriate size battery 02:06:48.900 --> 02:06:52.750 to assist in using that device 02:06:52.750 --> 02:06:56.053 for the extended duration of the outage. 02:06:57.440 --> 02:07:00.583 And just a follow up if I may, Vanessa. 02:07:02.580 --> 02:07:04.030 If the customer is having problems, 02:07:04.030 --> 02:07:07.220 'cause we've heard this in public comment too, 02:07:07.220 --> 02:07:09.650 if the customer's having problems with the battery, 02:07:09.650 --> 02:07:11.280 it's not functioning properly, 02:07:11.280 --> 02:07:13.790 has nothing to do with their direction 02:07:13.790 --> 02:07:15.280 or their understanding of the direction, 02:07:15.280 --> 02:07:17.820 but it's just not functioning properly. 02:07:17.820 --> 02:07:19.183 Do you all replace it? 02:07:19.183 --> 02:07:20.830 Does CBO replaces it? 02:07:20.830 --> 02:07:23.380 And do you have a sense of how long that takes? 02:07:23.380 --> 02:07:25.333 'Cause we've heard it's difficult. 02:07:26.600 --> 02:07:28.270 Yeah, absolutely President Batjer. 02:07:28.270 --> 02:07:30.650 And we appreciated that feedback. 02:07:30.650 --> 02:07:34.210 What's different this season is that we have engaged 02:07:34.210 --> 02:07:36.380 with those community based organizations 02:07:36.380 --> 02:07:38.050 that are delivering on behalf 02:07:38.050 --> 02:07:39.980 of the portable battery program 02:07:39.980 --> 02:07:42.240 so that they can be generally responsive 02:07:42.240 --> 02:07:44.280 during PSPS events. 02:07:44.280 --> 02:07:46.450 Unfortunately they often take place on weekends 02:07:46.450 --> 02:07:49.970 and holidays, so they are able to replace the battery. 02:07:49.970 --> 02:07:53.020 They are leaving behind instructions as well. 02:07:53.020 --> 02:07:54.560 So if there are questions, concerns, 02:07:54.560 --> 02:07:56.520 the customer doesn't have to recall everything 02:07:56.520 --> 02:07:59.850 that they were instructed at the time of delivery. 02:07:59.850 --> 02:08:01.670 The second piece that I would add is, 02:08:01.670 --> 02:08:03.370 if there is a situation where that 02:08:03.370 --> 02:08:06.210 community-based organization is not able to immediately 02:08:06.210 --> 02:08:10.060 replace the battery and the customer involved 02:08:10.060 --> 02:08:13.130 in kind of an imminent likeliness of shutdown, 02:08:13.130 --> 02:08:15.640 then we can fall back on the California foundation 02:08:15.640 --> 02:08:17.930 for independent living centers 02:08:17.930 --> 02:08:20.660 and they can deliver a battery to the customer, right? 02:08:20.660 --> 02:08:22.580 So most importantly, we want to make sure that 02:08:22.580 --> 02:08:25.230 that customer is able to sustain their needs, 02:08:25.230 --> 02:08:28.290 we'll figure out the logistics on the backend, 02:08:28.290 --> 02:08:29.883 between the two programs. 02:08:31.520 --> 02:08:33.713 Okay, that's very helpful, thank you. 02:08:35.990 --> 02:08:39.660 Sumeet, I know we've been interrupting you 02:08:39.660 --> 02:08:41.640 with lots of questions along the way, 02:08:41.640 --> 02:08:43.957 as I had warned you we would, 02:08:43.957 --> 02:08:47.640 but we are getting beyond our final time 02:08:47.640 --> 02:08:51.523 and we do need to soon move to public comment period. 02:08:52.570 --> 02:08:54.760 So President Batjer, 02:08:54.760 --> 02:08:57.070 I'm happy to conclude the remarks here. 02:08:57.070 --> 02:08:59.500 If you would like to shift to that, 02:08:59.500 --> 02:09:03.160 or if you maybe allocate another few minutes, 02:09:03.160 --> 02:09:06.330 I can cover the last two slides very briefly. 02:09:06.330 --> 02:09:08.630 And some of this I've already touched upon, 02:09:08.630 --> 02:09:11.010 which is more specific additional programs 02:09:11.010 --> 02:09:13.350 that we'll be bringing on the community support. 02:09:13.350 --> 02:09:16.143 If you could sum up the last two slides. 02:09:17.170 --> 02:09:18.730 If you could please, 02:09:18.730 --> 02:09:21.360 and then we'll need to really move to public comment. 02:09:21.360 --> 02:09:25.930 And before I do, before you do that, and I do that, 02:09:25.930 --> 02:09:28.957 I do want to ask that all of the PG&E 02:09:30.390 --> 02:09:32.410 people who are here with us today 02:09:32.410 --> 02:09:37.090 remain on the line, while and during 02:09:37.090 --> 02:09:38.580 the public comment period, 02:09:38.580 --> 02:09:41.320 so you all can hear any public comments 02:09:41.320 --> 02:09:44.380 that are made, thank you. 02:09:44.380 --> 02:09:45.213 Thank you, President Batjer, 02:09:45.213 --> 02:09:46.950 you have our commitment, 02:09:46.950 --> 02:09:49.390 all of the folks that have been engaging 02:09:49.390 --> 02:09:54.130 in this discussion from PG&E will be on until we conclude. 02:09:54.130 --> 02:09:57.100 So just in terms of the second to last slide, 02:09:57.100 --> 02:09:59.270 which is slide 13. 02:09:59.270 --> 02:10:01.760 So obviously in addition to engaging and listening 02:10:01.760 --> 02:10:03.270 to our customers, we're also listening 02:10:03.270 --> 02:10:04.740 to our community partners. 02:10:04.740 --> 02:10:06.370 We have a multitude of different methods 02:10:06.370 --> 02:10:10.830 by which we engage with our community partners. 02:10:10.830 --> 02:10:13.170 It's through our public safety partners, 02:10:13.170 --> 02:10:15.500 through quarterly regional working groups, 02:10:15.500 --> 02:10:18.010 we have ongoing PSPS preparedness webinars, 02:10:18.010 --> 02:10:22.020 exercises in various briefings and workshops. 02:10:22.020 --> 02:10:26.300 You know, we've obviously heard quite a bit of feedback too, 02:10:26.300 --> 02:10:27.880 in regards to the portal, 02:10:27.880 --> 02:10:30.460 to be able to provide more timely, consistent, accurate, 02:10:30.460 --> 02:10:32.940 and easy to navigate information. 02:10:32.940 --> 02:10:34.990 So we're making some significant enhancements 02:10:34.990 --> 02:10:37.530 on that portal to be able to help enable 02:10:37.530 --> 02:10:40.000 and be responsive to that feedback. 02:10:40.000 --> 02:10:41.273 We've also expanded our programs 02:10:41.273 --> 02:10:43.908 that we implemented last year. 02:10:43.908 --> 02:10:45.730 You know, one is, I made a reference to this, 02:10:45.730 --> 02:10:46.740 and Vanessa did as well, 02:10:46.740 --> 02:10:48.780 on the community-based organizations. 02:10:48.780 --> 02:10:51.230 So we've increased that partnership, you know, 02:10:51.230 --> 02:10:55.740 by 30% going into this year to more than 270 partnerships. 02:10:55.740 --> 02:10:58.830 And these partnerships actually are multifold. 02:10:58.830 --> 02:11:01.180 They're not just information sharing 02:11:01.180 --> 02:11:02.730 they're also to support our customers, 02:11:02.730 --> 02:11:04.970 as we've been discussing, through portable batteries, 02:11:04.970 --> 02:11:09.026 hotel stays, food stipends, accessible transportation, 02:11:09.026 --> 02:11:11.930 food replacement, and food delivery. 02:11:11.930 --> 02:11:14.920 We have also engaged with our agency and local partners 02:11:14.920 --> 02:11:16.540 for their feedback on locations 02:11:16.540 --> 02:11:18.180 of the customer resource centers. 02:11:18.180 --> 02:11:22.980 So going into 2021, we'll have about 380 locations, 02:11:22.980 --> 02:11:25.850 both a combination of indoor and outdoor. 02:11:25.850 --> 02:11:26.850 You know, obviously last year 02:11:26.850 --> 02:11:28.940 we had to focus more on outdoor, 02:11:28.940 --> 02:11:31.450 given the COVID, you know, restrictions. 02:11:31.450 --> 02:11:33.690 And, you know, we have the ability to be able 02:11:33.690 --> 02:11:36.740 to pull that same lever if we find ourselves 02:11:36.740 --> 02:11:38.460 in that situation, hope we don't. 02:11:38.460 --> 02:11:39.940 But if we do, we are well prepared 02:11:39.940 --> 02:11:42.260 to be able to navigate through that. 02:11:42.260 --> 02:11:43.730 We're also hosting workshops 02:11:43.730 --> 02:11:46.160 with telecommunication providers. 02:11:46.160 --> 02:11:50.280 We are including them in our PSPS exercises, 02:11:50.280 --> 02:11:52.320 tabletop breakouts that we're doing. 02:11:52.320 --> 02:11:55.640 And we're also sharing site by site data 02:11:55.640 --> 02:11:57.990 with them, regarding the likelihood of PSPS, 02:11:57.990 --> 02:12:01.130 so that they can take this information into consideration 02:12:01.130 --> 02:12:04.510 as part of their resiliency planning process. 02:12:04.510 --> 02:12:06.160 And then during events, you know, 02:12:06.160 --> 02:12:07.270 Elise made a reference to this, 02:12:07.270 --> 02:12:09.950 I made a reference to this, with the tribal community, 02:12:09.950 --> 02:12:11.960 but more broadly, 02:12:11.960 --> 02:12:13.710 we work with all the critical facilities 02:12:13.710 --> 02:12:16.520 in the local community that may be impacted, 02:12:16.520 --> 02:12:20.910 for example, hospitals that may require on-premise 02:12:20.910 --> 02:12:22.170 backup generation needs. 02:12:22.170 --> 02:12:24.950 And we saw quite a bit of this last year, 02:12:24.950 --> 02:12:27.470 just given the outflow of hospitals 02:12:27.470 --> 02:12:28.810 because of the COVID cases, 02:12:28.810 --> 02:12:31.530 because many of the backup generation in hospitals, 02:12:31.530 --> 02:12:34.760 typically, is there to be able to sustain 02:12:34.760 --> 02:12:38.100 critical support during the case of a power outage, 02:12:38.100 --> 02:12:41.920 so primarily the surgical rooms and those types of things. 02:12:41.920 --> 02:12:44.490 But given the fact that the outflow that occurred 02:12:44.490 --> 02:12:46.820 as a result of COVID, you know, 02:12:46.820 --> 02:12:48.510 they obviously needed additional capacity 02:12:48.510 --> 02:12:49.580 on the backup generation, 02:12:49.580 --> 02:12:51.820 which we were able to bring to bear. 02:12:51.820 --> 02:12:52.990 Just real quickly, 02:12:52.990 --> 02:12:57.990 I'll leave you with the last slide, which is like the team. 02:12:59.209 --> 02:13:01.210 This is just an example of how we are, you know, 02:13:01.210 --> 02:13:04.030 better creating more visibility for our customers 02:13:04.030 --> 02:13:06.411 that could be impacted by PSPS events. 02:13:06.411 --> 02:13:09.090 This is actually a new portal that we have launched. 02:13:09.090 --> 02:13:11.330 It's an interactive PSPS planning map 02:13:11.330 --> 02:13:13.369 that's available through our website. 02:13:13.369 --> 02:13:15.540 You can actually Google it and it'll pop up. 02:13:15.540 --> 02:13:17.300 But it's really a resource that's been developed 02:13:17.300 --> 02:13:18.363 to share information with our customers 02:13:18.363 --> 02:13:20.770 and our communities about locations 02:13:20.770 --> 02:13:23.430 that are most likely to experience a PSPS events. 02:13:23.430 --> 02:13:26.080 So we have included, you can look it up by address, 02:13:26.080 --> 02:13:27.630 you can look it up by county, 02:13:27.630 --> 02:13:32.360 how many actual PSPS events occurred in 2019, 2018, 2020. 02:13:32.360 --> 02:13:35.120 And it shows the past events that have occurred 02:13:35.120 --> 02:13:38.010 and the potential PSPS area, 02:13:38.010 --> 02:13:41.490 that indicated area may be likely 02:13:41.490 --> 02:13:43.190 to experience a PSPS event, 02:13:43.190 --> 02:13:45.710 just from a preparedness perspective. 02:13:45.710 --> 02:13:49.090 So we actually intend to use this platform in the future 02:13:49.090 --> 02:13:52.950 to also provide more visibility on the locations 02:13:52.950 --> 02:13:54.970 of various wildfire safety improvements 02:13:54.970 --> 02:13:57.980 and mitigation efforts that we are putting in place. 02:13:57.980 --> 02:14:01.460 So that's kind of a capability that doesn't exist today, 02:14:01.460 --> 02:14:04.490 but we're working through that process 02:14:04.490 --> 02:14:05.740 and that's forthcoming. 02:14:05.740 --> 02:14:09.890 So I'll pause there and then see if there's any final 02:14:09.890 --> 02:14:12.640 questions or comments and turn it over to you, 02:14:12.640 --> 02:14:14.753 President Batjer, for the public comment. 02:14:21.614 --> 02:14:23.700 There's just a reflection here, 02:14:23.700 --> 02:14:28.340 and I don't know if the scale is just a little distinct 02:14:28.340 --> 02:14:32.090 where we obviously had the other utilities present to us 02:14:32.090 --> 02:14:37.090 and Edison had outlined over 1600 partnerships 02:14:38.160 --> 02:14:41.483 with local community based organizations. 02:14:42.600 --> 02:14:47.600 And although you mentioned this 270 is a 30% increase, 02:14:51.060 --> 02:14:53.420 there still seems to be a scale difference there 02:14:53.420 --> 02:14:57.490 in terms of how connected you seem to be 02:14:57.490 --> 02:14:59.330 with some of the local organizations 02:14:59.330 --> 02:15:02.023 that can really help in response. 02:15:03.520 --> 02:15:05.970 And maybe that's something you can think about. 02:15:05.970 --> 02:15:07.940 I don't have a specific recommendation, 02:15:07.940 --> 02:15:11.713 just seems to be a big difference. 02:15:14.930 --> 02:15:18.370 Yeah, thank you Commissioner Guzman for that. 02:15:18.370 --> 02:15:21.480 I don't know the context in which, you know, 02:15:21.480 --> 02:15:24.970 the reference was being made by SCE and other utilities, 02:15:24.970 --> 02:15:27.280 but we're happy to engage with them 02:15:27.280 --> 02:15:29.410 because we do also have additional partnerships 02:15:29.410 --> 02:15:34.160 with food banks, you know, to provide replacement meals. 02:15:34.160 --> 02:15:37.720 So we're happy to, you know, get some more insights, 02:15:37.720 --> 02:15:39.140 you know, in that capacity. 02:15:39.140 --> 02:15:42.840 One of our objectives really had been to ensure 02:15:42.840 --> 02:15:46.140 we at least have multiple partnerships 02:15:46.140 --> 02:15:49.520 with all of the CBOs in communities 02:15:49.520 --> 02:15:52.110 that are impacted or could be impacted 02:15:52.110 --> 02:15:53.630 as a result of PSPS events. 02:15:53.630 --> 02:15:56.823 But we'll take that feedback and thank you for sharing that. 02:16:00.520 --> 02:16:02.470 Are there other questions? 02:16:02.470 --> 02:16:04.520 Well, President Batjer. 02:16:04.520 --> 02:16:06.560 I had another quick question, 02:16:06.560 --> 02:16:10.330 since we're comparing some things we've heard 02:16:10.330 --> 02:16:12.530 to what we heard this morning, Sumeet. 02:16:14.104 --> 02:16:15.480 Edison told us 02:16:18.610 --> 02:16:22.320 that they had posted publicly 02:16:22.320 --> 02:16:24.360 a technical paper and fact sheet 02:16:24.360 --> 02:16:28.330 on the threshold they use for de-energization 02:16:28.330 --> 02:16:30.360 and that they were already sharing them 02:16:30.360 --> 02:16:32.410 with their public safety partners, 02:16:32.410 --> 02:16:34.558 and we're gonna also share the real-time 02:16:34.558 --> 02:16:37.030 analysis with the public. 02:16:37.030 --> 02:16:38.320 That was their goal. 02:16:38.320 --> 02:16:41.670 Do you have a similar goal or capability? 02:16:41.670 --> 02:16:43.140 Can you do the same thing? 02:16:43.140 --> 02:16:45.280 You've articulated a great deal 02:16:45.280 --> 02:16:47.600 about how you're making your decisions. 02:16:47.600 --> 02:16:51.100 The public has consistently asked us and utilities 02:16:51.100 --> 02:16:54.460 for more transparency in how de-energization 02:16:54.460 --> 02:16:55.350 decisions are made. 02:16:55.350 --> 02:17:00.350 So maybe can you comment on where you are on this point? 02:17:01.770 --> 02:17:02.800 Sure, Commissioner. 02:17:02.800 --> 02:17:05.090 I mean, we share, you know, 02:17:05.090 --> 02:17:08.980 obviously not just to the PSPS criteria, 02:17:08.980 --> 02:17:10.210 but not to the level of details 02:17:10.210 --> 02:17:13.820 that we obviously shared in this forum, 02:17:13.820 --> 02:17:16.060 but our public safety partners, 02:17:16.060 --> 02:17:19.990 who many of you know, which we're working 02:17:19.990 --> 02:17:24.580 in the communities, in the fire services, previously, 02:17:24.580 --> 02:17:28.180 have those relationships at the local level. 02:17:28.180 --> 02:17:31.720 And we are sharing that on an ongoing basis. 02:17:31.720 --> 02:17:32.890 And as I mentioned, 02:17:32.890 --> 02:17:35.487 as we have implemented not just the tree overstrike 02:17:35.487 --> 02:17:38.580 risk criteria, when we did that back in April, you know, 02:17:38.580 --> 02:17:41.850 we were engaging through all the local channels that we have 02:17:41.850 --> 02:17:43.680 in regards to why there potentially could be 02:17:43.680 --> 02:17:45.600 a greater impact from a frequency perspective, 02:17:45.600 --> 02:17:47.421 what's driving that, 02:17:47.421 --> 02:17:51.090 and we plan to do the same with the 2021 protocols. 02:17:51.090 --> 02:17:52.840 You know, in addition to that, 02:17:52.840 --> 02:17:56.223 all of the real-time weather monitoring information 02:17:56.223 --> 02:17:57.800 that we have, with the weather stations 02:17:57.800 --> 02:17:59.160 that we have installed on our network, 02:17:59.160 --> 02:18:01.190 which is now north of 1200, 02:18:01.190 --> 02:18:03.560 all that information is made available 02:18:03.560 --> 02:18:07.390 via a public website on pge.com/weather. 02:18:07.390 --> 02:18:11.410 And we continue to advocate and share that information 02:18:11.410 --> 02:18:13.350 with the local leaders, the local communities, 02:18:13.350 --> 02:18:15.670 the loCal Fire departments, you know, 02:18:15.670 --> 02:18:17.260 as much as so where, 02:18:17.260 --> 02:18:20.490 when we get a notification of a potential fire start 02:18:20.490 --> 02:18:22.010 through our satellite systems, 02:18:22.010 --> 02:18:25.200 that goes into our wildfire safety operation center, 02:18:25.200 --> 02:18:27.743 where we're sharing that information as well, 02:18:28.960 --> 02:18:30.053 in a public way. 02:18:31.070 --> 02:18:33.140 And again Commissioner, on this one, 02:18:33.140 --> 02:18:37.070 we're happy to take that, you know, feedback, 02:18:37.070 --> 02:18:38.170 you know, engage with SCE, 02:18:38.170 --> 02:18:40.340 we've worked with them very closely 02:18:40.340 --> 02:18:42.020 to ensure there's no daylight on some of this. 02:18:42.020 --> 02:18:44.730 And, you know, we absolutely benefit 02:18:44.730 --> 02:18:47.760 from the best practices that are being shared 02:18:47.760 --> 02:18:50.610 with the IOUs within California. 02:18:50.610 --> 02:18:52.360 So we're happy to take that as another follow up 02:18:52.360 --> 02:18:54.440 to ensure that, you know, 02:18:54.440 --> 02:18:55.740 the practices that they're following, 02:18:55.740 --> 02:18:58.600 the practices that we're following are consistent 02:18:58.600 --> 02:19:02.340 and ensure that we're keeping all the community members 02:19:02.340 --> 02:19:04.100 abreast of all the decision-making 02:19:04.100 --> 02:19:07.093 and how we're doing it to the extent feasible. 02:19:08.060 --> 02:19:08.893 Thank you, 02:19:08.893 --> 02:19:11.610 I think to the extent that you're calculating 02:19:11.610 --> 02:19:14.420 your ignition probability weather index 02:19:14.420 --> 02:19:16.800 and your fire potential index, 02:19:16.800 --> 02:19:18.380 and you're sharing them in real time 02:19:18.380 --> 02:19:19.450 or close to real time, 02:19:19.450 --> 02:19:21.210 obviously not in the way that it interferes 02:19:21.210 --> 02:19:23.970 with your operational capabilities, 02:19:23.970 --> 02:19:26.613 you do more to build public confidence. 02:19:28.190 --> 02:19:30.970 Sure, thank you Commissioner for that feedback. 02:19:30.970 --> 02:19:32.290 By the way, Sumeet, 02:19:32.290 --> 02:19:37.220 they said that, and Commissioner Shiroma looked it up 02:19:37.220 --> 02:19:42.220 and it's sce.com/psps-decision-making. 02:19:43.430 --> 02:19:44.795 So that's where you can find it. 02:19:44.795 --> 02:19:46.878 (laughs) 02:19:48.125 --> 02:19:50.970 We really do need to move on now to a public comment, 02:19:50.970 --> 02:19:52.670 any other questions from the dais? 02:19:56.185 --> 02:19:58.810 Okay, seeing and hearing none. 02:19:58.810 --> 02:20:03.810 I'm going to now move to public comments, 02:20:05.340 --> 02:20:07.573 the public comment portion of our agenda. 02:20:08.470 --> 02:20:13.200 As a reminder, if you wish to make a public comment, 02:20:13.200 --> 02:20:17.920 dial into 1-800-857-1917. 02:20:20.380 --> 02:20:25.380 Enter pass code 7-2-1-8-3-8-4 pound, 02:20:27.050 --> 02:20:28.900 and press star one, 02:20:28.900 --> 02:20:31.560 you will be placed into a queue and the operator 02:20:31.560 --> 02:20:34.400 will take your name and organization. 02:20:34.400 --> 02:20:38.000 There may be a delay from the time you press star one 02:20:38.000 --> 02:20:42.420 to the time the operator asks you for your information. 02:20:42.420 --> 02:20:45.513 So please be patient and stay on the line. 02:20:46.840 --> 02:20:48.170 As a reminder, 02:20:48.170 --> 02:20:52.870 you will be given two minutes to speak, 02:20:52.870 --> 02:20:55.290 two minutes for each speaker. 02:20:55.290 --> 02:20:58.590 You will hear a bell sound when your time is up. 02:20:58.590 --> 02:21:01.193 So please adhere to the timeframes. 02:21:02.060 --> 02:21:05.863 Operator, would you please invite the first caller in. 02:21:06.930 --> 02:21:07.931 Thank you. 02:21:07.931 --> 02:21:09.270 The public comment line is now open. 02:21:09.270 --> 02:21:11.390 Our first speaker is Will Abrams. 02:21:11.390 --> 02:21:13.183 Mr. Abrams, your line is open. 02:21:14.610 --> 02:21:15.730 Thanks very much. 02:21:15.730 --> 02:21:18.520 Thanks very much President Batjer and Commissioners. 02:21:18.520 --> 02:21:20.803 I appreciate the thoughtful discussion. 02:21:21.870 --> 02:21:24.670 Big concern regarding the tone of the discussion. 02:21:24.670 --> 02:21:27.710 I think if we had the Dixie fire 02:21:27.710 --> 02:21:30.750 as the background of the conversation, 02:21:30.750 --> 02:21:34.020 I think there would be a bit more urgency regarding 02:21:34.020 --> 02:21:37.070 how the discussion takes place. 02:21:37.070 --> 02:21:39.730 I'm particularly concerned, and Mr. Singh 02:21:39.730 --> 02:21:44.420 always does a great job associated with his presentation, 02:21:44.420 --> 02:21:46.190 but I'm concerned that we're applying 02:21:46.190 --> 02:21:49.350 really a linear risk model here to really address 02:21:49.350 --> 02:21:51.940 a compound risk profile. 02:21:51.940 --> 02:21:54.560 That particularly comes to a head 02:21:54.560 --> 02:21:58.010 when I hear Mr. Singh talk about the decision making 02:21:58.010 --> 02:22:00.090 about where to underground and that 02:22:00.090 --> 02:22:03.670 that is gonna be based on legacy equipment. 02:22:03.670 --> 02:22:05.280 These are compound risks. 02:22:05.280 --> 02:22:07.610 And so those decisions about where to underground 02:22:07.610 --> 02:22:10.290 and how to underground, need to be approached 02:22:10.290 --> 02:22:12.410 through that lens. 02:22:12.410 --> 02:22:15.990 Similarly, Mr. Singh has several times discussed 02:22:15.990 --> 02:22:17.420 the historical data set, 02:22:17.420 --> 02:22:20.810 which of course is important to look at 02:22:20.810 --> 02:22:22.730 as we're addressing risks, 02:22:22.730 --> 02:22:25.570 but what's missing from that historical data set, 02:22:25.570 --> 02:22:27.890 are the causes of past fires. 02:22:27.890 --> 02:22:31.700 As you look through the PG&E wildfire mitigation plan, 02:22:31.700 --> 02:22:34.050 you will see no mention of past fires, 02:22:34.050 --> 02:22:36.850 no mapping of the causes of past fires 02:22:36.850 --> 02:22:39.030 to how they're mitigating risks. 02:22:39.030 --> 02:22:41.200 That needs to be incorporated. 02:22:41.200 --> 02:22:42.700 This is particularly important 02:22:42.700 --> 02:22:44.790 as we think about the Dixie fire, 02:22:44.790 --> 02:22:47.010 because there has been this notice 02:22:47.010 --> 02:22:49.430 that there was a reclosure 02:22:49.430 --> 02:22:53.200 that was near the start of the fire. 02:22:53.200 --> 02:22:56.300 PG&E has instead, and the wildfire mitigation plan, 02:22:56.300 --> 02:22:59.850 use a generalized term of sectionalization devices, 02:22:59.850 --> 02:23:03.030 which is not sufficient to be actionable. 02:23:03.030 --> 02:23:06.890 The specific devices need to be shared with the public, 02:23:06.890 --> 02:23:09.760 with municipalities so they can understand 02:23:09.760 --> 02:23:12.750 where we can have public safety power shutoffs, 02:23:12.750 --> 02:23:17.460 where we can have gates and contain ignitions 02:23:17.460 --> 02:23:19.210 like the Dixie fire. 02:23:19.210 --> 02:23:22.700 Similarly, as we're talking about the listening sessions 02:23:22.700 --> 02:23:27.370 and the ways that we get information from rate payers, 02:23:27.370 --> 02:23:31.160 what is missing from that is a data driven approach. 02:23:31.160 --> 02:23:33.380 We need to really make sure that it isn't just 02:23:33.380 --> 02:23:35.130 the loudest voice in the room, 02:23:35.130 --> 02:23:37.840 but it is based on data from multiple sources 02:23:37.840 --> 02:23:39.253 about how we're proceeding. 02:23:40.140 --> 02:23:42.120 I apologize for going over the time, 02:23:42.120 --> 02:23:43.990 but I would just remind folks 02:23:43.990 --> 02:23:46.420 that there's a growing number of wildfire survivors 02:23:46.420 --> 02:23:48.680 out there that need to be front and center 02:23:48.680 --> 02:23:51.000 of those in the room. 02:23:51.000 --> 02:23:53.150 Some of these wildfires survivors 02:23:53.150 --> 02:23:56.030 have been forced to take PG&E shares, 02:23:56.030 --> 02:23:58.360 and we're in a very difficult situation right now 02:23:58.360 --> 02:24:01.710 with each fire, really preventing us 02:24:01.710 --> 02:24:04.306 from rebuilding our homes and our lives. 02:24:04.306 --> 02:24:07.810 And I just wanted the Commission to recognize that. 02:24:07.810 --> 02:24:09.690 Thank you very much. 02:24:09.690 --> 02:24:11.600 Thank you, Mr. Abrams. 02:24:11.600 --> 02:24:14.230 Operator, the next caller, please. 02:24:14.230 --> 02:24:16.460 Next up is RL Strauss. 02:24:16.460 --> 02:24:18.213 Mr. Strauss, your line is open. 02:24:20.080 --> 02:24:20.913 Thank you. 02:24:20.913 --> 02:24:21.746 Good afternoon. 02:24:27.760 --> 02:24:30.450 Mr. Strauss, we can barely hear you. 02:24:30.450 --> 02:24:34.660 Can you speak up or speak directly into your device? 02:24:34.660 --> 02:24:35.670 Thank you for pointing that out. 02:24:35.670 --> 02:24:36.960 Is this better? 02:24:36.960 --> 02:24:38.460 Much better, Thank you. 02:24:38.460 --> 02:24:40.060 Good, thank you. 02:24:40.060 --> 02:24:42.470 Good afternoon, thank you for this opportunity to comment. 02:24:42.470 --> 02:24:45.000 On behalf of small business advocates, 02:24:45.000 --> 02:24:47.170 we wish to point out the critical role 02:24:47.170 --> 02:24:49.220 that the Commission has taken in moving forward 02:24:49.220 --> 02:24:51.913 and improving PG&E's PSPS approach, 02:24:56.160 --> 02:24:59.920 which were it not for the Commission's action, 02:24:59.920 --> 02:25:04.920 we believe in the de-energization and the PSPS proceeding 02:25:05.430 --> 02:25:07.880 in response to 2019 errors, 02:25:07.880 --> 02:25:10.300 we do not think that we would see such a robust, 02:25:10.300 --> 02:25:12.340 and improved approach, however, 02:25:12.340 --> 02:25:14.790 and I had to step out for a moment so I may have missed it, 02:25:14.790 --> 02:25:17.900 I have not heard anything about the integration 02:25:17.900 --> 02:25:20.780 of the consideration of the public safety impacts 02:25:20.780 --> 02:25:24.399 of PSPS, and how that is accounted for. 02:25:24.399 --> 02:25:26.330 As we all know that is a requirement, 02:25:26.330 --> 02:25:29.150 particularly from the decision from the de-energization 02:25:29.150 --> 02:25:31.793 proceeding, as well as the PSPS OII, 02:25:33.399 --> 02:25:35.177 and it doesn't seem like it's been addressed 02:25:35.177 --> 02:25:37.103 for any of the IOUs to date. 02:25:38.740 --> 02:25:41.080 We recognize in particular that any amounts 02:25:41.080 --> 02:25:45.100 of notification or mitigation does relatively little 02:25:45.100 --> 02:25:47.580 compared to prevention of unneeded, 02:25:47.580 --> 02:25:50.720 and the decision not to undertake unneeded PSPS, 02:25:50.720 --> 02:25:53.370 particularly the small businesses that don't have 02:25:53.370 --> 02:25:56.020 the resources to deal with many days 02:25:56.020 --> 02:26:00.620 or even potentially, just one day of electricity outages. 02:26:00.620 --> 02:26:04.210 So we look forward to additional steps to reduce the need 02:26:04.210 --> 02:26:06.359 for PSPS, particularly undergrounding, 02:26:06.359 --> 02:26:08.690 we're very pleased to hear that that's being looked at 02:26:08.690 --> 02:26:12.310 very heavily and as an expansive approach by PG&E 02:26:12.310 --> 02:26:15.400 and more aggressive involvement by the Commission 02:26:15.400 --> 02:26:18.310 to ensure that the utility continue to take all the steps 02:26:18.310 --> 02:26:21.380 that are possible to prevent PSPS events 02:26:21.380 --> 02:26:23.551 and to consider the public health impacts 02:26:23.551 --> 02:26:25.330 of those additions. 02:26:25.330 --> 02:26:26.330 Thank you very much. 02:26:27.870 --> 02:26:29.010 Thank you, Mr. Strauss. 02:26:29.010 --> 02:26:31.680 Next caller, please, operator. 02:26:31.680 --> 02:26:33.120 Next up is Rob Holly. 02:26:33.120 --> 02:26:34.933 Mr. Holly, your line is open. 02:26:35.770 --> 02:26:37.460 Hi, I'm Rob Holly from San Jose 02:26:37.460 --> 02:26:39.170 and the Solar Rights Alliance. 02:26:39.170 --> 02:26:42.380 This discussion has been about on minimizing the damage 02:26:42.380 --> 02:26:45.280 and disruption from our poorly maintained power lines. 02:26:45.280 --> 02:26:47.520 Here's a thought, why don't we move to needing 02:26:47.520 --> 02:26:50.150 fewer power lines that need to be maintained. 02:26:50.150 --> 02:26:51.340 When I'm running on battery, 02:26:51.340 --> 02:26:52.760 I'm not competing with my neighbors 02:26:52.760 --> 02:26:54.470 for the long distance power lines. 02:26:54.470 --> 02:26:56.130 Those power lines are the real reason 02:26:56.130 --> 02:26:59.480 for the high cost of power and increasing wildfire danger. 02:26:59.480 --> 02:27:02.090 Solar and battery use, well, is to reduce 02:27:02.090 --> 02:27:04.140 the number of lines we need to maintain, 02:27:04.140 --> 02:27:06.820 instead, the IOUs just want to string more wires 02:27:06.820 --> 02:27:08.920 because that's how they make their money. 02:27:08.920 --> 02:27:11.680 The CPUC should be encouraging solar and storage 02:27:11.680 --> 02:27:13.430 and not trying to kill it. 02:27:13.430 --> 02:27:17.260 Studies show that we will save rate payers $120 billion 02:27:17.260 --> 02:27:18.980 over the next 30 years. 02:27:18.980 --> 02:27:20.890 Why do you want to trade a real solution 02:27:20.890 --> 02:27:23.950 for the mythical power plants that the ACC proposes 02:27:23.950 --> 02:27:26.440 and yet more long distance power lines 02:27:26.440 --> 02:27:29.210 operated by the same folks that brought us San Bruno, 02:27:29.210 --> 02:27:31.060 the campfire, and it sounds like, 02:27:31.060 --> 02:27:33.290 several of the fires burning today. 02:27:33.290 --> 02:27:34.123 Thank you. 02:27:37.060 --> 02:27:39.500 Operator, the next caller, please. 02:27:39.500 --> 02:27:40.446 Thank you. 02:27:40.446 --> 02:27:41.960 Next up is Nancy Macy. 02:27:41.960 --> 02:27:43.703 Ms. Macy, your line is open. 02:27:44.950 --> 02:27:46.910 Yes, hello, it's Nancy Macy. 02:27:46.910 --> 02:27:48.800 Sorry it was misunderstood. 02:27:48.800 --> 02:27:51.020 I'm chair of the Valley Women's Club's 02:27:51.020 --> 02:27:54.350 environmental committee for the San Lorenzo Valley. 02:27:54.350 --> 02:27:57.110 We're located in the Santa Cruz coastal mountain range 02:27:57.110 --> 02:27:59.344 and are still suffering under the CZU 02:27:59.344 --> 02:28:03.270 lightening complex fires impacts, as you can imagine. 02:28:03.270 --> 02:28:05.271 I appreciate the general recognition 02:28:05.271 --> 02:28:09.820 by President Batjer and each of the agency leaders, 02:28:09.820 --> 02:28:13.290 that PSPS must only be the last resort. 02:28:13.290 --> 02:28:16.210 I was especially gratified that our Cal Fire chief 02:28:16.210 --> 02:28:19.870 emphasized the importance of infrastructure impacts 02:28:19.870 --> 02:28:22.560 since that is what is proving again and again, 02:28:22.560 --> 02:28:26.563 to be the crucial factor in failing to prevent wildfires. 02:28:27.490 --> 02:28:29.580 PG&E is actually being allowed to fail 02:28:29.580 --> 02:28:32.730 to mitigate wildfires in a climate warming future. 02:28:32.730 --> 02:28:35.810 It is imperative that everyone understand PG&E's 02:28:35.810 --> 02:28:39.280 continuing failure to expand 02:28:41.020 --> 02:28:45.143 far more miles, many miles of a system. 02:28:47.860 --> 02:28:49.780 Decades of failure that have been 02:28:49.780 --> 02:28:54.090 and continue to cause wildfire is not being mitigated. 02:28:54.090 --> 02:28:59.030 This is because PG&E is barely beginning to modernize 02:28:59.030 --> 02:29:02.160 the significant reaches of its distribution line 02:29:02.160 --> 02:29:03.973 in high fire threat areas. 02:29:05.083 --> 02:29:07.610 The numbers on slide 10, 02:29:07.610 --> 02:29:09.850 you need to look at them, they're pathetic. 02:29:09.850 --> 02:29:11.450 In stark contrast, 02:29:11.450 --> 02:29:14.030 you have example of Southern California Edison 02:29:14.030 --> 02:29:18.300 replacing many times as many miles of wires 02:29:18.300 --> 02:29:21.790 with steel core, triple insulated conductor 02:29:21.790 --> 02:29:23.660 as their regular wire, 02:29:23.660 --> 02:29:26.610 along with modernizing the entire system, 02:29:26.610 --> 02:29:29.510 they are far ahead of PG&E and have 02:29:29.510 --> 02:29:32.550 far fewer forested miles. 02:29:32.550 --> 02:29:36.870 And now, in their 2021 update 02:29:36.870 --> 02:29:38.660 to their wildfire mitigation plan, 02:29:38.660 --> 02:29:41.520 they have proven that it is actually working 02:29:41.520 --> 02:29:44.450 and that this is the right way to go. 02:29:44.450 --> 02:29:46.850 PG&E is wasting billions on the mythology 02:29:46.850 --> 02:29:49.520 of vegetation management and causing severe 02:29:49.520 --> 02:29:51.740 environmental damage in the meantime. 02:29:51.740 --> 02:29:54.800 Let's get the focus on massive 02:29:56.674 --> 02:29:58.210 improvement of the infrastructure. 02:29:58.210 --> 02:29:59.043 Thank you. 02:30:00.530 --> 02:30:01.810 Thank you. 02:30:01.810 --> 02:30:04.430 Operator the next caller please. 02:30:04.430 --> 02:30:06.070 Next up is Tori Summers. 02:30:06.070 --> 02:30:08.350 Mr. Summers, your line is open. 02:30:08.350 --> 02:30:09.280 Yes, thank you. 02:30:09.280 --> 02:30:11.134 And thank you, President Batjer 02:30:11.134 --> 02:30:14.310 and Commissioners for conducting this meeting 02:30:14.310 --> 02:30:17.713 and PG&E for participating as well. 02:30:19.350 --> 02:30:20.770 I'm with Charter Communications 02:30:20.770 --> 02:30:23.660 and we just wanted to take this opportunity 02:30:23.660 --> 02:30:25.360 to let the Commission know how seriously 02:30:25.360 --> 02:30:27.127 we take PSPS events. 02:30:28.060 --> 02:30:30.110 And I know there was a comment made earlier 02:30:30.110 --> 02:30:32.300 about Southern California Edison, and this is PG&E, 02:30:32.300 --> 02:30:35.520 but we did not have the chance to raise it earlier. 02:30:35.520 --> 02:30:38.440 And we just simply wanted to clarify something regarding 02:30:38.440 --> 02:30:41.023 a comment they made about training that they had. 02:30:41.990 --> 02:30:46.990 Charter has participated in numerous PSPS communication, 02:30:47.010 --> 02:30:51.060 PSPS meetings with SCE. 02:30:51.060 --> 02:30:53.620 In particular, we participated one on March 3rd, 02:30:53.620 --> 02:30:57.040 March 25th, June 1st, and we participated 02:30:57.040 --> 02:30:58.290 in their portal training. 02:30:59.320 --> 02:31:02.440 Then on July 6th, we participated in the monthly 02:31:02.440 --> 02:31:04.960 fire preparedness meeting with the Commission. 02:31:04.960 --> 02:31:07.720 At that meeting, SCE mentioned it's training, 02:31:07.720 --> 02:31:10.540 and we questioned getting notice of that meeting. 02:31:10.540 --> 02:31:13.700 Immediately following that meeting that July 6th meeting, 02:31:13.700 --> 02:31:17.730 we had a July 12th meeting with SCE to discuss 02:31:17.730 --> 02:31:19.083 points of contact. 02:31:20.060 --> 02:31:22.850 Just last week, we told Southern California Edison 02:31:22.850 --> 02:31:25.150 who to send the invitation to for their upcoming 02:31:25.150 --> 02:31:26.763 August 19th training. 02:31:27.620 --> 02:31:30.870 Charter will certainly be participating in that meeting. 02:31:30.870 --> 02:31:33.150 Although we provided that information August 19th, 02:31:33.150 --> 02:31:35.420 the person we gave them the contact information for, 02:31:35.420 --> 02:31:38.060 has still not received the official invitation, 02:31:38.060 --> 02:31:40.760 but we will be participating. 02:31:40.760 --> 02:31:42.860 Some of these communication issues may arise 02:31:42.860 --> 02:31:44.540 from the sheer number of notices 02:31:44.540 --> 02:31:46.670 we get from Southern California Edison. 02:31:46.670 --> 02:31:48.870 This is an issue we have discussed with the PUC 02:31:48.870 --> 02:31:50.160 multiple times in the past, 02:31:50.160 --> 02:31:52.460 and we've just discussed with SCE. 02:31:52.460 --> 02:31:54.480 Southern California Edison has indicated 02:31:54.480 --> 02:31:56.510 that they are working on that, 02:31:56.510 --> 02:31:59.200 but simply due to the sheer number of notices, 02:31:59.200 --> 02:32:01.390 this remains a challenge. 02:32:01.390 --> 02:32:03.460 Thank you once again, Commissioners 02:32:03.460 --> 02:32:06.900 for conducting this meeting and we look forward 02:32:06.900 --> 02:32:08.490 to future meetings as well. 02:32:08.490 --> 02:32:09.323 Thank you. 02:32:10.370 --> 02:32:11.460 Thank you. 02:32:11.460 --> 02:32:13.403 Operator, the next caller, please. 02:32:14.310 --> 02:32:16.110 Next up, is Melissa Kasnits. 02:32:16.110 --> 02:32:17.983 Ms. Kasnitz, your line is open. 02:32:20.240 --> 02:32:21.763 Thank you, can you hear me? 02:32:22.790 --> 02:32:24.640 Yes, we can hear you fine, Melissa. 02:32:25.520 --> 02:32:27.770 Thank you, this is Melissa Kasnitz, 02:32:27.770 --> 02:32:31.330 the legal director for the center for accessible technology, 02:32:31.330 --> 02:32:34.050 an active party in the seatings addressing 02:32:34.050 --> 02:32:36.910 the de-energization before the Commission. 02:32:36.910 --> 02:32:39.050 I want to pick up on a point made previously 02:32:39.050 --> 02:32:41.430 by Mr. Ariel Strauss, of the small business 02:32:41.430 --> 02:32:43.320 utilities association, 02:32:43.320 --> 02:32:47.089 and express my extreme concern that not withstanding 02:32:47.089 --> 02:32:50.410 repeated emphasis by the Commission and parties 02:32:50.410 --> 02:32:53.010 to the CPUC proceedings. 02:32:53.010 --> 02:32:55.820 PG&E's guidance is effectively silent 02:32:55.820 --> 02:32:58.160 on how it considers the harms that come 02:32:58.160 --> 02:33:01.610 as part of power outages and its analysis 02:33:01.610 --> 02:33:04.400 of whether to shut the power off. 02:33:04.400 --> 02:33:07.250 This was not identified in any way 02:33:07.250 --> 02:33:09.340 in the decision making criteria, 02:33:09.340 --> 02:33:10.890 which only looked at very... 02:33:14.510 --> 02:33:17.380 In the discussion of transmission, 02:33:17.380 --> 02:33:20.270 but not at all in distribution. 02:33:20.270 --> 02:33:22.290 President Batjer has been clear 02:33:22.290 --> 02:33:24.780 and the Commission decisions have been clear 02:33:24.780 --> 02:33:28.010 that the utilities need to consider the harms 02:33:28.010 --> 02:33:30.460 that come from turning off the power 02:33:30.460 --> 02:33:32.180 with the reduction in risk 02:33:32.180 --> 02:33:34.203 that comes with the power outages. 02:33:35.450 --> 02:33:39.140 There's been a lot of work and analysis done on fire risk, 02:33:39.140 --> 02:33:41.683 but virtually nothing on the harms of outages. 02:33:42.680 --> 02:33:45.500 As the representative of people with disabilities 02:33:45.500 --> 02:33:47.640 and people with medical vulnerabilities 02:33:47.640 --> 02:33:50.410 who are within PG&E's territory, 02:33:50.410 --> 02:33:54.200 this lack of consideration of the direct harm of outages 02:33:55.350 --> 02:33:58.120 goes against the decisions that have been issued. 02:33:58.120 --> 02:34:00.980 And there's a real void in the process 02:34:00.980 --> 02:34:03.690 that's been articulated by PG&E here today. 02:34:03.690 --> 02:34:04.523 Thank you. 02:34:06.300 --> 02:34:07.490 Thank you. 02:34:07.490 --> 02:34:09.323 Operator, the next caller please. 02:34:10.591 --> 02:34:11.468 President Batjer, 02:34:11.468 --> 02:34:12.840 I have no additional speakers 02:34:12.840 --> 02:34:14.723 on the public comment line currently. 02:34:17.350 --> 02:34:19.163 Okay, operator. 02:34:21.330 --> 02:34:23.660 If anyone still wishes to call in, 02:34:23.660 --> 02:34:26.393 please call +1 800-857-1917 02:34:29.290 --> 02:34:34.290 and enter 7-2-1-8-3-8-4 pound and press star one. 02:34:46.500 --> 02:34:49.660 Operator, has anybody else shown up on the call? 02:34:49.660 --> 02:34:50.570 President Batjer, 02:34:50.570 --> 02:34:52.680 there are no additional speakers 02:34:52.680 --> 02:34:55.530 on the public comment line at this time. 02:34:55.530 --> 02:34:56.363 Okay. 02:34:57.460 --> 02:34:59.050 Thank you very much operator. 02:34:59.050 --> 02:35:01.420 With no more callers on the line. 02:35:01.420 --> 02:35:06.420 The public comment period for this meeting is now closed. 02:35:06.460 --> 02:35:09.280 So once again, I would like to thank everyone 02:35:09.280 --> 02:35:10.920 who has joined us today. 02:35:10.920 --> 02:35:14.500 And in particular, I would like to thank 02:35:14.500 --> 02:35:18.050 my fellow Commissioners and our esteemed colleagues 02:35:18.050 --> 02:35:21.990 from CAL OES, Cal Fire and OES. 02:35:21.990 --> 02:35:24.680 I would like to add my special thanks to our 02:35:24.680 --> 02:35:28.200 executive director, Rachel Peterson, 02:35:28.200 --> 02:35:31.980 and to other members of our staff, 02:35:31.980 --> 02:35:36.153 and I must say including one of my advisors, 02:35:37.030 --> 02:35:40.800 Nora Hawkins, and my Chief of Staff, 02:35:40.800 --> 02:35:44.019 Shannon O'Rourke for preparing 02:35:44.019 --> 02:35:49.019 and helping me prepare and the rest of the CPU staff 02:35:49.820 --> 02:35:52.383 to organize these very important meetings. 02:35:53.620 --> 02:35:55.770 Tony, I want to thank you as well. 02:35:55.770 --> 02:35:59.880 So please, join us tomorrow 02:35:59.880 --> 02:36:04.880 for additional meetings on PSPS of the smaller 02:36:05.900 --> 02:36:07.920 IOU companies, which I announced 02:36:07.920 --> 02:36:10.340 at the beginning of this meeting. 02:36:10.340 --> 02:36:12.330 So thank you all very, very much 02:36:12.330 --> 02:36:14.050 for being here today with us 02:36:14.050 --> 02:36:16.940 and have a safe evening. 02:36:16.940 --> 02:36:17.773 Thank you.