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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.2 Presentation on PG&E Power Outages in Eastern Dublinr DUBLIN CALIFORNIA STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Agenda Item 3.2 DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECT: November 19, 2024 Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers Colleen Tribby, City Manager Presentation on PG&E Power Outages in Eastern Dublin Prepared by: Jordan Foss, Management Analyst 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will receive a presentation on the recent PG&E power outages affecting residents and businesses in eastern Dublin. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Receive the presentation. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. DESCRIPTION: Background On October 17, 2024, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for many areas of Northern California, including Alameda County, with an expiration date of October 19, 2024. Red Flag Warnings are issued when there is high fire risk conditions, including high winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuel sources. Prior to and during this time, portions of eastern Dublin experienced multiple unplanned power outages. Each outage affected approximately 7,000 customers in Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, and Unincorporated Alameda County. The outages occurred on October 12, October 17 (two outages), and October 23. Figure 1 shows a map of the affected area. Page 1 of 5 1 Figure 1. Map of Affected Area !ason- 580 ands Park Dublin City Limits (approximate) I re rport d o, v� k Lon do, d PG&E Response On October 18, 2024, the City contacted Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) to obtain information on the causes of the outages on October 17. PG&E responded to the City on the same day, answering the City's questions regarding the unplanned outages. PG&E also provided information on safety precautions that it institutes during times of high fire -risk. During times of extreme weather or wildfire conditions, PG&E implements safety precautions such as Public Safety Power Shutoffs and/or Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) As defined by PG&E, PSPS events are scheduled power shutoffs for designated circuits in high and moderate fire -risk zones. PG&E sends out detailed notifications to all customers and municipalities when these events are scheduled, including projected scope, start time, and power restoration times. Page 2 of 5 2 Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) EPSS are safety settings implemented on powerlines in and around high fire -risk areas. When extreme weather or wildfire conditions are present, powerline sensitivity settings are increased to help prevent falling tree branches, animals, and other hazards from starting a wildfire. The outages caused by these enhanced settings are unplanned since they are dependent on the presence of a hazard directly impacting the powerlines (hazard -related incidents). EPSS safety precautions alone have produced a significant reduction in wildfire risk, with PG&E seeing a 72% decrease in risk in 2023. During the October 17-19 Red Flag Warning, a PSPS event was scheduled for Alameda County. According to PG&E data, only one Dublin resident was scheduled to be impacted. However, unplanned outages also occurred during that time. PG&E informed the City that the unplanned outages were due to EPSS events. The powerline sensitivity was high due to the high fire -risk and Red Flag Warnings. Given the high sensitivity, the powerlines were more susceptible to being triggered which resulted in unplanned outages. At the time of the initial discussion with PG&E, the cause of the outages was unknown, however, PG&E was in the process of evaluating the situation. Meeting with PG&E The City scheduled a meeting with PG&E representatives for October 28, 2024. During the virtual meeting, Staff, Mayor McCorriston, and PG&E representatives discussed the outage causes, impacts, notifications, community messaging, and mitigation efforts. PG&E confirmed the October 17 and October 23 outages were caused by bird contact on highly sensitive powerlines in the Doolan Canyon area (unincorporated Alameda County). The contact combined with the high sensitivity setting forced a shutoff of the entire circuit therefore causing an unplanned outage. PG&E also provided information about the impacted circuit which runs north from Pleasanton (off Stanley Boulevard) to the city limit boundary along Collier Canyon Road, where it splits both east and west. The eastern line of the circuit runs east along Collier Canyon Road and then to the north along Doolan Road which contains above -ground powerlines. The western line of the circuit which runs along Croak Road west and then disburses as shown in Figure 2, provides power to the impacted customers in eastern Dublin. Page 3 of 5 3 Figure 2. Circuit Map Lastly, PG&E representatives informed the City that they were actively providing updates to the impacted communities through their channels, such as email, text, and social media. Due to the unplanned nature of the outages, direct notifications to customers regarding start time and power restoration estimates can only be sent post -outage. PG&E also acknowledged and apologized for the lack of direct communication with the City following the recent unplanned EPSS outages. They confirmed that the proper notification process will be followed in the future. PG&E also provided the City with educational materials to share on the City's website for residents. PG&E Mitigation Efforts In the meeting with PG&E on October 28, 2024, the City requested there be mitigation efforts to address the outages and the concerns of Dublin residents. PG&E informed the City that they had installed bird guarding tools on the above -ground powerlines in the Collier Canyon and Doolan Canyon areas, which should help to mitigate future animal contacts. PG&E is also exploring the possibility of installing a breaker at the circuit split location on Collier Canyon Road. This would isolate any hazard -related incidents in the Doolan Canyon area from affecting the eastern Dublin area during EPSS and help alleviate disruptions for residents in eastern Dublin. The City also requested PG&E continue their community messaging and notification efforts to educate impacted residents about the outage. While the City requested a town hall meeting to address community concerns, PG&E expressed confidence that its mitigation efforts, including the Page 4 of 5 4 installation of bird guards, would adequately address the issues. Additionally, they noted that with the upcoming shift to wet weather conditions, the seasonal changes would also alleviate concerns. Next Steps Staff remains committed to collaborating with PG&E to support the community's interests. While EPSS outages are unplanned, the City will continue to proactively communicate with residents about potential EPSS outages whenever possible, as demonstrated with the Red Flag Warning notice the City shared with residents on November 4, 2024. Staff will also look to share with the community any updates on future mitigation efforts by PG&E. STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: The City Council Agenda was posted. ATTACHMENTS: None. Page 5 of 5 5 PG&E Power Outages in Eastern Dublin November 19,2024 DUBLIN CALIFORNIA 6 Background • Red FlagWarning: — Issued by the National Weather Service (October 17-1 9, 2024). — Conditions: High winds, low humidity, dry fuels. • Multiple Outages — Affected Area: Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, and unincorporated Alameda County. — Approximately 7,000 customers impacted per outage. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RED FLAG WARNING - POWER OUTAGES MAY OCCUR - PG&E Safety Measures ts Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS): Planned Shutoffs in high fire -risk zones. Notifications provided in advance. Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS): Unplanned Increased powerline sensitivity to prevent wildfires. Triggered by hazards like falling branches or animal contact. 8 October Outages • October 17- 19, 2024: — PSPS scheduled; one Dublin resident scheduled to be impacted. • Unplanned Outages (October 17 and 23, 2024): — Unplanned outages caused by EPSS sensitivity. — October 12, 2024 • Unknown — October 17 and 23, 2024 • Bird contact with highly sensitive powerlines in Doolan Canyon. • asori DS • ands Park 586 Dublin City Limits (apr roximarel 1. re rport Meeting with PG&E When an object strikes the Line or 2 f2ul Occurs,. Safety technology on our powerlunes is preventing wildfires _„safety seliIngs shut off power within one -tenth of a second_ We check the Lines for damage before safely restoring power. Patrols a re done try h elico pier, !ruck nr nn foot, typically during daylight hours. r2i Date: October 28, 2024 Attendees: Mayor, City staff, PG&E Representatives. • Topics Discussed: — Outage causes and impacts — Notifications and community messaging — Mitigation efforts DUBLIN CALIFORNIA 10 PG&E Mitigation Efforts • Actions Taken by PG&E: — Installed bird guards on powerlines in Doolan Canyon. — Exploring a breaker installation at circuit split location to isolate incidents. • City Requests: — Improved communication with impacted residents. • Future Outlook: — Seasonal changes to bring relief. Next Steps City Actions: — Ongoing collaboration with PG&E. — Community Messaging: • Inform residents about safety measures and updates. • Proactive communication about EPSS outages. • Share updates on mitigation efforts with residents. sM DUBLIN CALIFORNIA 12 Conclusion • Recommendation — Receive the Presentation • PG&E Representative available • Questions?