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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/20/2024 13.B. Letter from Pacific Power in response to emergency de-energization practices in Yakima County i4 �e+ f^:4,4iir&I—.040 • 1.'4'" __) BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 13.B. For Meeting of: August 20, 2024 ITEM TITLE: Letter from Pacific Power in response to emergency de-energization practices in Yakima County SUBMITTED BY: Vicki Baker, City Manager SUMMARY EXPLANATION: Attached for Council's information is a letter received from Pacific Power in response to the City of Yakima's July 17, 2024 letter outlining concerns and recommendations regarding recent power outages in Yakima County. ITEM BUDGETED: N/A STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: An Engaged Yakima RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Yakima City Council-Response Aug 2024 Final.pdf 273 PACIFIC POWER,. A DIVISION OF PACIFICORP August 5, 2024 Mayor Byers Office of the City Council 129 North Second Street Yakima, WA 98901 Dear Mayor Byers, Thank you for your letter dated July 17, 2024, outlining concerns and recommendations regarding recent power outages in Yakima County. Many of the concerns you raise in your letter reflect the feedback from the community and our own experiences to help guide improvements in maintaining a critical service to the community in a time of unprecedented wildfire risk. We recently responded to a similar letter we received from the Board of Yakima County Commissioners and this letter reflects many of the key points we sent to the Commissioners in response. We have recently connected with a number of large customers in the Yakima Valley and we will continue to partner with you and the broader community as we evolve our emergency operational practices. Wildfires and extreme weather threaten the health, safety and livelihoods of everyone. In our region,the result is an increased risk to the homes and businesses in the communities we serve. Wildfires also puts at risk our ability to provide electric service—a key contributor to healthy and growing local economies—in a safe and reliable manner. It is critical that wildfire-related issues be solved holistically, with businesses, governments and key stakeholders working together to design and implement constructive, enduring solutions. Without near-term policy shifts, economic growth is threatened, especially in the face of increasing demand and clean energy goals. We understand the recent power outages (including emergency de-energizations) have affected your community and that you have concerns for public safety. We do not take these circumstances lightly.The company's top priority is ensuring the safety of our employees, customers and communities, and our emergency operational practices are designed to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires.When confronted with the challenge of deciding between safety and reliability,we will always err on the side of safety. Our team continuously reviews emergency operational practices, including with respect to any de-energization outlined in your letter. Continuous improvement is core to our ability to provide the safe, reliable and valued service that power communities and businesses. In that context, I have provided an update on our evolving emergency de-energization practices, our continued investments to mitigate the risk of wildfires in your region and feedback on the specific recommendations outlined in your letter. 1 274 PACIFIC POWER,. A DIVISION OF PACIFICORP Emergency De-Energization Practices As we highlighted in our July 16, 2024, letter to the Board of Yakima County Commissioners, Pacific Power has identified certain emergency de-energization practices that can address feedback from the community and our own experiences to date. • Validation:Time allotted to gain credible validation of any ignition in areas designated as having lower wildfire risk before an emergency de-energization has been extended.This process includes verifying wildfire conditions through local emergency management and public safety partners, dispatching field resources, determining impacted areas and initiating customer and stakeholder notification processes. • Communication:When areas are designated as having lower wildfire risk conditions and as time allows, we will communicate a potential emergency de-energization to potentially impacted customers and public safety partners. Customers who have signed up for outage alerts can receive updates via text, phone and email. Our local regional business manager will focus on efforts to communicate to large managed accounts. Also, when time allows, our emergency management team will reach out to Yakima Valley emergency management, 911 dispatch and Yakima County Public Health. The safety of our employees, customers and communities remains our top priority and under certain conditions, such as extreme heat, high winds and dry fuels, an active wildfire may require the company to begin an emergency de-energization without prior notification to customers and public safety partners. Pacific Power's Investment Commitments For broader context, our wildfire mitigation practices continue to aim to protect our customers and communities with an enhanced focus on areas with the highest wildfire risk.We concentrate on three main areas to mitigate wildfire risk: 1. System Hardening:To date,we have invested $19 million on system hardening in the Nile Valley, including rebuilding 22 miles of line with covered conductor, installing eight new system automation devices, and adding 14 new weather stations in Yakima County.The end goal is to deliver a more resilient and reliable electrical network and reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfires. 2. Situational Awareness:We perform 24/7 monitoring and forecasting with 484 weather stations and 30 years of data to show long-term forecasts and to provide a day-to-day look at wildfire risk across the states we serve. Detailed weather information is available to the public at PacificPowerWeather.com. 3. Operational Practices:We can significantly reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfire impacting our communities by employing safety settings on power lines when elevated 2 275 PACIFICoRPOWER. 1 A DIVISION OF PACIFIC fire risk conditions exist, conducting enhanced vegetation management, having the ability to conduct a Public Safety Power Shutoff(PSPS) anywhere in our service area and having the ability to enact an emergency de-energization when a wildfire comes too close to our powerlines and equipment.The recent changes identified above show the evolving nature of our work to mitigate wildfire risk in the region through operational practices. The reality is that these operational practices result in more frequent and longer-duration outages for customers. For example, when a tree or other debris contacts a power line that has enhanced safety settings deployed,that line will automatically de-energize within fractions of a second.The line must be visually inspected by our crews to ensure that we can safely restore power.When an emergency de-energization takes place, a visual inspection of the impacted lines might also be required before we restore power.All of these practices are intended to ensure the safety of our customers and communities in the face of more frequent, longer duration and intense wildfires. Response to Recommendations We appreciate the thoughtful recommendations outlined in your letter. Our initial response to each of the three recommendations follows: 1. Improved Communication:Implement a notification system that ensures timely and clear communication with all stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and local authorities. Establish a task force involving Pacific Power representatives and local agencies to regularly discuss and address concerns related to the de-energizing policy and explore potential improvements. Pacific Power encourages customers to prepare for outages by updating their contact information with us and signing up for alerts. We will provide advanced notification of emergency de-energizations when conditions and timing allow. a. Sign up for alerts: PacificPower.net/Alerts b. Update your contact information: PacificPower.net/Account We welcome community engagement and as we noted in the response to the County Commissioners, will schedule additional opportunities to collaborate with Yakima local authorities and first responders. While the variable nature of de-energization events will not always allow for consultation with local authorities, we suggest a near term meeting to bring these parties together to collectively mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires. We will also arrange a meeting with fire authorities to provide information about our system protection and wildfire mitigation programs, and where they can provide assistance to reduce impacts to the communities they support. Our local staff will follow up to ask If you have specific recommendations on agencies to include. 3 276 PACIFICoRPOWER. 1 A DIVISION OF PACIFIC 2. Critical Infrastructure Support:Develop contingency plans to support critical infrastructure and vulnerable populations during power outages, including the provision of backup power supplies for healthcare facilities and emergency services. We encourage customers with medical needs requiring electricity to contact Pacific Power Customer Service at 1-888-221-7070 to add that information to their account or visit PacificPower.net/Medical for more information. We have the capability to make direct phone calls to these customers during an extended outage.We also encourage customers to have a plan with their medical provider that includes backup power for their devices. Finally,while Pacific Power is not responsible for providing backup power supplies for the City's critical infrastructure, healthcare facilities and emergency services, we encourage the City, healthcare facilities and emergency service organizations to sign up for alert notifications for communication on outages. We also encourage customers to use our outage map as a resource for real time information during outages. Outages&Safety(pacificpower.net) 3. System Improvements: Upgrade PP&L power systems so the outages can be limited to the areas of concern and not have to deenergize large areas not within the area of concern to address a small portion that is in jeopardy. As mentioned above,we have invested$19 million on system hardening in the Nile Valley, including rebuilding 22 miles of line with covered conductor, installing eight new system automation devices, and adding 14 new weather stations in Yakima County.The end goal is to deliver a more resilient and reliable electrical network and reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfires.We will continue to invest as appropriate and look for ways to be more resilient. 4. Incident Protocols: Local authorities that are managing the fire risk should be consulted prior to any "de-energizing"events. Our first responders on scene are trained and have firsthand knowledge of what is necessary to address a given event.As important, they understand the potential impacts of deenergizing power to different areas of the community. As mentioned above,we welcome community engagement and will schedule additional opportunities to collaborate with Yakima local authorities and first responders.While the variable nature of de-energization events will not always allow for consultation with local authorities, we suggest a near term meeting to bring these parties together to collectively mitigate the risk of catastrophic wildfires. We will arrange a meeting with fire authorities to provide information about our system protection and wildfire mitigation programs, and where they can provide assistance to reduce impacts to the communities they support. 4 277 PACIFIC POWER,. A DIVISION OF PACIFICORP In Closing Pacific Power has been providing safe, reliable and low-cost energy to customers for over 100 years —an essential service we consider part of the backbone of community health and economic development. Above all,we are committed to the safety of our customers, employees and the communities we serve. We fully understand that our mitigation practices impact the community, and we are committed to working with customers, communities, regulators, legislators and public officials to find enduring solutions through strong public-private relationships and policies that adapt to extreme weather threats. We appreciate your commitment to balanced outcomes and look forward to continued engagement. Ryan Flynn President, Pacific Power 5 278