DEENERGIZATION CONSIDERATIONS Anthony Noll California Public Utilities Commission

DE-ENERGIZATION CONSIDERATIONS Anthony Noll California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) 1

Factors of Consideration • Strategy – Measure of Last Resort. IOU’s are ultimately responsible to operate their systems safely and effectively. IOU decision to initiate de-energization. • Mitigation factors – Vegetation Management – System Hardening (covered conductors, sectionalizing/precision, microgrids) – Metrics. Current metrics among IOUs differ based on geography, fuel load, and system design – Access and Functional Needs (AFN) population incl Medical Baseline, Critical Care, lowincome customers, customers with limited English, disabled customers and the elderly – Areas outside of fire threat but on the impacted circuit(s) – Common definitions • Critical Facilities • Public Safety Partners • Warning levels (“extreme”) 2

Factors of Consideration • • Education – Statewide public education campaigns in advance: • What is a de-energization event? • What tools are available to the public during these events? • What to do in an emergency (de-energization or other)? • How to receive information alerts before, during, and after? • Who the public should expect to hear from and when/notification timeline? Communication – Platforms: Social Media, Radio, Internet(https: //prepareforpowerdown. com/), Utility websites – Languages – Consider the geographic and cultural demographics – During a long term actual de-energization event (cellphones dead) – During a long-term warning period (repetitive warnings but no actual de-energization) – Tourists/Non-Residents – Family members who live out of the area – Primary notifier? – Redundant notification means (call, text, knock (door hanger)). Confirming AFN notifications 3