6/28/2023
1 RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
WILDFIRE MITIGATION PLAN 2023
City Council
July 18, 2023
Public Utilities Department
RiversideCA.gov
2 Public Utilities Code Section 8387 :
1. Every electric utility in California is required to construct, maintain, and operate their electrical system in a manner that minimizes the risk of wildfire
2. All utilities are required to prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) and update the plan annually
a. Content is specified and prescriptive – WMP is a compliance document b. An independent evaluator with experience in assessing the safe operation of electrical infrastructure must review the WMP
c. WMP and the independent evaluator report must be presented at a public meeting of the utility’s governing board
d. Reports must be posted on the utility’s website
e. Reports must be submitted to the State’s Wildfire Safety Advisory Board
BACKGROUND
1 2
6/28/2023
2 RiversideCA.gov
3 Identifies and addresses the following:
1. High Fire Threat Districts (HFTD) in
RPU Service Territory
2. RPU electric infrastructure located
within the HFTD
3. Assessment of fire risk posed by
electric infrastructure
4. Preventative strategies to reduce
risk
5. Customer support and
communications in the event of a
de-energization
6. Metrics and assessment
WILDFIRE MITIGATION PLAN
RiversideCA.gov
4 1. Identified by State
agencies and
stakeholder including
RPU and Riverside Fire
2. Fire Threat Districts
a. Tier 2: Areas with
elevated wildfire risk
b. Tier 3: Areas with
extreme wildfire risk
(typically undeveloped
natural lands)
HIGH FIRE THREAT DISTRICTS (HFTD)
3 4
6/28/2023
3 RiversideCA.gov
5 RPU INFRASTRUCTURE IN HFTD
Total Tier 2 Tier 3 OH
Circuit-
Miles
Circuit-
Miles % Circuit-
Miles %
Overhead
Distribution 512.6 38.3 7.5% 3.5 0.7%
Overhead
Transmission* 99.3 11.1 11.2% 0.4 0.4%
Total Overhead
Circuit-Miles 611.9 49.4 8.1% 3.9 0.6%
*Note: SCE owns and operates seven transmission lines exte nding from SCE’s Vista Substation. These lines comprise 22 miles of overhead transmission that feed into RPU and are not included in the table. RPU takes ownership of these lines at the boundary of its service territory Lines i n RPU territory are included in the overhead transmission of the table.
RiversideCA.gov
6 PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES
Design &
Construction
Standards
• Materials
Used
• Equipment
Standards
Inspections &
Maintenance
• Vegetation
Management
• Equipment
Inspection
Operational
Policies
• Reclosing
•D e -
Energization
Situational
Awareness
• Weather
Monitoring
• Cameras
5 6
6/28/2023
4 RiversideCA.gov
7 1. RPU had no reportable wildfire incidents in 2022
2. System and Operational Improvements
a. Continued to update older substation automation equipment b. Installed new weather station and integrated data with existing stations to provide real-time weather information to system operators c. Installed an additional infrared camera at Box Springs Mountain Radio Site
d. Continued collaboration with the Riverside Police Department Aviation Division to complete enhanced infrared inspections to power lines in HFTD
e. Updating the Standard Operating Pr ocedures for wildfire operations procedures and procedures in HFTD
3. Continued close collabora tion with the Riverside Fire Department
2022 PERFORMANCE
RiversideCA.gov
8 1. Public Utilities Code Section 8387 requires POUs to contract with a qualified independent evaluator to review and assess the comprehensiveness of its wildfire mitigation plan
2. It requires the independent evaluator to issue a report, which shall be available on RPU’s website and be presented at a public meeting of the Board of Public Utilities
3. Through a competitive request for proposal process, RPU contracted with Chloeta in March 2023, for an independent evaluation of the 2023 Plan.
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION
7 8
6/28/2023
5 RiversideCA.gov
9 Independent Evaluation Team:
• Chet Dodrill – Project
Director
• Jayne Thompson – Director
of Government Services
• David Nixon – Project
Manager
• Pravin Ghantiwala – SME
• Gwen Ernst-Ulrich –
Writer/Editor
• Jacob Richards – SME/Writer
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION - CHLOETA
Experience:
• Chloeta has written and/or
evaluated Wildfire Mitigation
Plans for:
– 38 Department of
Defense(DoD) installations
– 6 Utilities
RiversideCA.gov
10 1. Chloeta conducted an initial review of RPU’s draft 2023 Plan
2. Chloeta reviewed findings with RPU and through a
collaborative process RPU added additional detail to the Plan to further clarify its wildfire mitigation measures
3. Chloeta concluded that the RPU WMP is sufficient in
meeting the requirements for comprehensiveness as set
forth by California Public Utilities Code Section 8387
4. Chloeta’s full report is included as an attachment to the staff report and will be available on RPU’s website
FINDINGS/REPORT
9 10
6/28/2023
6 RiversideCA.gov
11 1. Submit the 2023 RPU WMP to the Wildfire Safety
Advisory Board upon approval
2. Continue to improve evaluation tools and refine
preventative strategies and metrics
3. Update the plan for 2024, as applicable
NEXT STEPS
RiversideCA.gov
12 Strategic Priority 4 - Environmental Stewardship
Strategic Priority 6 - Infrastructure, Mobility and Connectivity Cross-Cutting Threads
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
11 12
6/28/2023
7 RiversideCA.gov
13 RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council approve the Riverside Public
Utilities 2023 Wildfire Mitigation Plan for submittal to the Wildfire Safety Advisory Board in accordance with
California Public Utilities Code Section 8387.
13