Utility Public Safety Power Shutoff Plans (De-Energization)

Utilities may temporarily turn off power to specific areas to reduce the risk of fires caused by electric infrastructure. This action is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) or “de-energization.”

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Public Briefings on Utility Preparedness for 2022 Public Safety Power Shutoffs

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in ongoing efforts to hold utilities accountable for executing safe and appropriate Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events, is requiring the state’s electric utilities to publicly present on their preparedness for PSPS events in 2022 at two virtual briefings, as follows:

WHEN:

August 1, 2022, 1– 5 p.m.: Southern California Edison (SCE), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), and Bear Valley Electric Service
August 2, 2022, 9 a.m.– 1 p.m.: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), PacifiCorp, and Liberty Utilities

WHAT: The electric utilities will provide updates on the status of preparation efforts and coordination with public safety partners, critical infrastructure and facilities, and customers, including those most vulnerable or with access and functional needs. The utilities will present on efforts to mitigate customer impacts and will identify changes to processes or operations in 2022 based on lessons learned.

WHY: The CPUC is requiring the electric utilities to publicly present on their preparedness for PSPS events in 2022. The CPUC oversees the utilities’ preparation for and execution of PSPS events and has been driving the utilities to improve in response to lessons learned from previous PSPS events. The electric utilities submitted 2022 PSPS Pre-Season reports to the CPUC on July 1, 2022. The reports included specific plans for Community Resource Centers, critical facilities, PSPS exercises, education and outreach-related surveys and accessibility efforts, notifications, highest risk circuits, and identified lessons learned from 2021.

Meeting Documents

Agenda - Day 2

Feb. 23 and 25, 2022: Public Briefings on Utility Execution of 2021 PSPS Events

Media Advisory
Agenda
Presentations
- Liberty Utilities
- PacifiCorp
- PG&E
- SCE
- SDG&E

Nov. 10, 2021: Electric Utility Safety Update Public Briefing
- Media Advisory
- Wednesday November 10, 2021; Session 1, BVE at 10 a.m.; Session 2, PG&E at 1 p.m.
- Webcast Recording
- Meeting Materials
  - Agenda

Aug. 25, 2021: Public Meeting on Utility Safety Practices
- Media Advisory
- August 25, 2021, 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- Webcast Recording
- Meeting Materials
  - SCE Presentation
  - SDG&E Presentation

Aug. 2-4, 2021: Public Briefings on Utility Readiness for 2021 Public Safety Power Shutoffs
- Media Advisory
- Monday, August 2, 2021, 2 - 5 p.m.: San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
- Tuesday, August 3, 2021, 9 a.m. - noon: Southern California Edison (SCE)
- Tuesday, August 3, 2021, 1 - 4 p.m.: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)
- Wednesday, August 4, 2021, 9 a.m.- noon: Small Multi-Jurisdictional Utilities (Bear Valley Electric Service, Liberty Utilities, and PacifiCorp

Apr. 20, 2021: CPUC Tree Overstrike Workshop on PG&E’s Proposed Implementation of Proposed Probation Conditions in its PSPS Program
Mar. 29, 2021: Joint IOU 2020 PSPS Workshop
Mar. 26, 2021: Meeting on Wildfire Risk Analysis Results
Mar. 1, 2021: SCE 2020 PSPS Corrective Action Plan Meeting
Jan. 26, 2021: SCE Meeting on Execution of 2020 PSPS Events
- Media Advisory
- Agenda
- SCE Presentation
- Webcast Recording
- Jan. 19, 2021: President Batjer's Letter to SCE
- Jan. 22, 2021: SCE's Reply Letter
- Feb. 12, 2021: SCE's Correction Action Plan
Aug. 13, 2020: PG&E PSPS Public Briefing
Aug. 11, 2020: SCE PSPS Public Briefing
Aug. 10, 2020: SDG&E PSPS Public Briefing

PSPS Preparation

Electric Utility 2022 Staff Briefings for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) Preparation

Utilities presented Staff Briefings to CPUC staff in July 2022 on their preparedness for PSPS events. The six electric utilities that provide power in California presented their preparation plans to CPUC staff. These Staff Briefings will inform the utilities' Public Briefings on August 1 and August 2, 2022.

SCE Preparations for PSPS

Staff Briefing Presentation

PG&E Preparations for PSPS

Staff Briefing Presentation

SDG&E Preparations for PSPS

Staff Briefing Presentation

SMJU (PacifiCorp, Liberty, Bear Valley) Preparations for PSPS

Staff Briefing Presentation – PacifiCorp

Staff Briefing Presentation- Liberty Utilities

Staff Briefing Presentation- Bear Valley

Electric Utility 2021 Staff Briefings for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) Preparation

Utilities presented Staff Briefings to CPUC staff in June/July 2021 on their preparedness for PSPS events. Six electric utilities provide power in California. Five of the six utilities presented their plans to the CPUC staff in Staff Briefing #1. Following that briefing, utilities responded to staff data requests in Staff Briefing #2.

Electric Utility 2020 Planning for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS)

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)’s biweekly reports on PSPS preparation as ordered by President Batjer in a January 30, 2020 ruling are filed in the Commission’s rulemaking addressing de-energization for all electric utilities. Visit the Docket Card (R.18-12-005) to view PG&E’s biweekly reports (and other proceeding documents) and make comment on the proceeding.

Pacific Gas and Electric Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage
- Updates

Southern California Edison Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage
- 2020 PSPS Preparation Presentation

San Diego Gas & Electric Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage
- 2020 PSPS Preparation Presentation

Bear Valley Electric Service Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage
- 2020 PSPS Preparation Presentation

Liberty Utilities Wildfire Mitigation Page
- 2020 PSPS Preparation Presentation

PacifiCorp California Public Safety Power Shutoffs Webpage
- California 2020 PSPS Preparation Presentation

History and Background

Over the last decade, California has experienced increased, intense, and record-breaking wildfires in Northern and Southern California. These fires have resulted in a devastating loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. Electric utility infrastructure has historically been responsible for less than 10% of reported wildfires. However, fires attributed to power lines consist of roughly half of California history’s most destructive fires. With the continuing threat of wildfire, utilities may proactively cut power to electrical lines that may fail in certain weather conditions. Such power cuts reduce the risk of their infrastructure to cause or contribute to a wildfire. This effort is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). However, a PSPS can leave communities and essential facilities without power, which brings its own risks and hardships, particularly for vulnerable communities and individuals. From 2013 to the end of 2019, California experienced over 57,000 wildfires (averaging 8,000 per year), and the three large energy companies conducted 33 PSPS de-energizations.

In 2012, we ruled that California Public Utilities Code Sections 451 and 399.2(a) give electric utilities authority to shut off the electric power to protect public safety. This allows the energy companies (SDG&E, PG&E, SCE, Liberty, Bear Valley, and PacifiCorp) to shut off power to prevent fires when strong winds, heat events, and related conditions are present.

In 2017, fires raged in Santa Rosa, Los Angeles, and Ventura, making it one of California’s most devastating wildfire seasons. In response to the 2017 wildfires and Senate Bill (SB) 901, we revised earlier guidelines on the de-energization of power lines and adopted the most current set of PSPS guidelines on June 24, 2021 in Decision (D.) 21-06-034.