WATER AND
POWER
Verify Independent Evaluator
Report and Annual Update to the
Burbank Water and Power
Wildfire Mitigation Plan
City Council
May 23, 2023
Presentation Overview
Background
Summary of plan changes
Upcoming activities
Next Steps
Independent Evaluation
Mitigation activity accomplishments
Background
Annually prepare
Wildfire Mitigation Plan
(WMP)
Include required plan
elements
Present the WMP
in a public meeting
Qualified independent
evaluator
California Wildfire Safety
Advisory Board (WSAB)
Public Utilities Code (PUC) 8387
Comprehensive update
every 3 years
Tier 2 HFTD
High-fire
threat
district
Priority 2.1
Priority 2.2
Priority 2.3
Electrical facilities
within Tier 2 HFTD
Independent
Evaluator
Report
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 8 Wildfire
Mitigation Plan
Independent
Evaluation
Assessment of 2022 WMP
May 4, 2023
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only.
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 9 Disclaimer
Notice Regarding Presentation
Guidehouse does not make any express or implied warranty or representation concerning the information contained in this presentation, or as to merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or function. This presentation is incomplete without reference to, and should be viewed in conjunction with, the oral briefing provided by Guidehouse. No part of it may be circulated, quoted, or reproduced for distribution without prior written approval from Guidehouse or Burbank Water and Power.
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 10 ©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. • Section 1 – Background Overview & Qualifications
• Section 2 – Evaluation Approach
• Section 3 – Results & Discussion
Presentation Overview
10 ©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. ©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 11 Background & Qualifications
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 12 California Public Utilities Code
• The local publicly owned electric utility or electrical cooperative shall contract with a qualified independent evaluator … to review and assess the comprehensiveness of its wildfire mitigation plan.
Section 8387 Part (c)
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 13 Guidehouse
• Performed over 15 independent evaluations of California (CA) Publicly Owned Utilities (POU) 2019-2023
A Qualified Independent Evaluator
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 14 Guidehouse
• Part of a Qualified Independent Evaluator (IE) team that provides mandated IE reviews and reports for CA Investor-Owned
Utilities (IOU) since 2021
A Qualified Independent Evaluator
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 15 Guidehouse
• Helps both POUs and IOUs develop and maintain their WMPs across CA and throughout the Western United States.
A Qualified Independent Evaluator
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. ©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 16 Evaluation Approach
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 17 Scope and Approach
Guidehouse performed an assessment to determine the
comprehensiveness of BWP’s WMP and produced an Independent Evaluator report to present to the governing board at a public meeting.
Scope
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 18 Scope and Approach
Guidehouse employed the following methods to successfully complete the evaluation:
• Assessed compliance elements against PUC Section 8387 • Reviewed the Wildfire Safety Advisory Board’s recommendations for BWP
• Evaluated BWP’s mitigation initiatives against industry practices and standards
Approach
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. ©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 19 Results and Discussion
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 20 Evaluation Results
• BWP has addressed each of the mandatory requirements from PUC Sec 8387(b)(2) in its WMP
• BWP analyzed and prioritized its territory residing within the Tier 2 High Fire Threat District, maximizing impact of measures undertaken
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 21 Evaluation Results (cont.)
• Excellent tracking and use of metrics
• System hardening
• Design and evaluation of poles
withstanding working loads under
stress for high winds
• Blocking reclosers during Red Flag
Warnings on distribution lines within
Tier 2
BWP’s Industry Best Practices
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 22 Evaluation Results (cont.)
• Strong vegetation management
practices
• Comprehensive asset inspections and
remediations
• Emergency Response
• Electric Emergency Response Plan
aligns with SEMS, NIMS, and City of
Burbank's Emergency Response
Plans
BWP’s Industry Best Practices
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. ©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 23 Conclusion
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. 24 Conclusion
• Guidehouse determined that BWP’s
WMP is comprehensive and meets
the statutory requirement
• The WMP elements meet or exceed
with industry standards and practices
Section 8387 Part (c)
©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive. For internal use only. ©2021 Guidehouse Inc. All rights reserved. Proprietary and competition sensitive.
This content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors. 25 Your Guides
Andrew Dressel
Director
[email protected]
(916) 350-0003
Lisa Wood
Managing Consultant
[email protected]
(385) 500-9023
Alejandro Gonzalez
Managing Consultant
[email protected]
(916) 631-3252
Adam Daly
Senior Consultant
[email protected]
(916) 631-3214
Summary
of Plan Changes
Summary Of Plan Changes
Comprehensive
update
Added three new
mitigation activities
Risk model
Annual Performance Metrics
2022 Summary:
• No BWP caused ignition in the HFTD
• No pole failures in the HFTD
• All inspection, maintenance, and
operation activities completed
• Five days with Red Flag Warning
alerts
• One risk driver event in the HFTD
Conventional fuse
operation, 42%
Conductor
failure, 22%
Wire contact with
vegetation, 15%
Wire contact -
mylar balloons, 9%
Other, 8%
Transformer
Failure, 5%
Risk Driver Events
Tier 2 HFTD (2005 – 2022)
Total = 65 events
Conventional fuse
operation, 42%
Conductor
failure, 22%
Wire contact with
vegetation, 15%
Wire contact -
mylar balloons, 9%
Other, 8%
Transformer
Failure, 5%
Risk Driver Events
Tier 2 HFTD (2005 – 2022)
Total = 65 events
1 Risk Model
• Analyzed all poles in the HFTD
Pole type and equipment
Location and vegetation
Access and geography
• The risk model re-affirmed Tier 2.1
• We expect to see improvements as
mitigation measures are
implemented
Independent Evaluation Response
IE recommendation:
1) Replace bare wire with covered
conductor
2) Replace expulsive fuses with non-
expulsive
3) Improve communication in the
event of pre-emptive de-
energization
Mitigation
Accomplishments
Annual
asset and
vegetation
inspection
Poles
replaced
Tree
trimming
and
removal
Covered
conductor
analysis
• Prevents
vegetation/mylar
contact
• Stronger wire
reduces wires down
• Is expected to
significantly reduce
46% of risk driver
events
Falling
conductor
analysis
• De-energize lines before they fall to
the ground
• Help locate fault locations
Infrared
inspection
analysis
• Early problem identification
• Locate weak spots in wires
before they fail
Non-
expulsive
fuses
Conventional fuse operation
Non-
expulsive
fuses
Non-expulsive fuse operation
Upcoming
Mitigation
Enhanced
system
monitoring
Enhanced
system
monitoring
Dry-type
transformers
• Using transformers without oil
significantly reduces fire risk
• Pilot ordered for installation of 3 units
Conventional fuse
operation, 42%
Other, 8%
Transformer Failure, 5%
Risk Driver Mitigation
Mitigated
by non-
expulsive
fusesCauses to be
identified through
enhanced system
monitoring
Mitigated by dry-
type transformers
Conductor
failure, 22%
Wire contact with
vegetation, 15%
Wire contact -
mylar balloons, 9%
Risk Driver Mitigation
Mitigated by covered
conductor with falling
conductor detection
Mitigated by
tree trimming
Next Steps
Next Steps
Next WMP
update
June 2024
CA Wildfire Safety
Advisory Board
By July 1 , 2023
City Council
presentation
& public comments
May 2023
BWP Board
presentation
May 2023
Review the WMP and IER at
BurbankWaterAndPower.com/electric/wildfire-mitigation-plan
CONTACT
Sven Knauth
Electrical Engineer
[email protected]
(818) 238-3575 office