PG&E vice president advocates for safer, smarter energy future – Marin Independent Journal

Wildfire season is in full swing in Marin County.

Last month, the Point Fire in Sonoma County burned over 1,200 acres. As of July 19, more than 242,000 acres had burned, according to CalFire — six times the five-year average and an incredible more than 20 times the acreage in 2023.

At Pacific Gas and Electric Co., we have made a commitment to stop catastrophic wildfires. This view is bigger than ourselves. We have taken a number of bold actions and made significant progress, but there is still much work to be done. To make this view a reality, we must all work together.

In Marin—a place I am fortunate to call home and an integral part of PG&E’s North Coast region—we focus every day on delivering safe, reliable energy and managing long-term investments through our regional service model. We prioritize ongoing wildfire risk reduction, support improved community preparedness, and deliver better energy outcomes for our customers.

Our commitment to safety and innovation results in numerous infrastructure improvements. Last year, we reinvested over 99% of our authorized revenues in projects to improve California’s energy system. These projects include expanding the capacity of electric distribution circuits and replacing poles and aging gas pipelines. We also continue to refine and improve Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS), which remains our most effective means of ignition reduction. EPSS shuts off power within a tenth of a second when a fault is detected on high-voltage power lines, preventing ignitions caused by hazards such as tree branches.

We have also deployed an extensive network of weather stations and high-resolution cameras to monitor and respond to wildfires and severe weather. These tools allow us to respond quickly to threats, in addition to long-term programs such as insulating overhead power lines and relocating power lines underground in high wildfire risk areas. Our combined protection layers reduce wildfire risk by over 94% across our entire service area.

I am particularly proud of our cooperative agreement with Marin County for the exclusive use of one of our Blackhawk helicopters. Equipped with a water tank system, it can respond quickly to extinguish wildfires in and around Marin. Most recently, it was used to fight the Toll Fire in Napa County.

We are also proud of our clean energy achievements. In 2023, we delivered 100% greenhouse gas-free electricity to residential customers. We continue to evolve through strategic partnerships. One example is our recently announced integration with Apple’s Home app, which allows customers to easily manage their electricity usage. This is just one example of the innovations and partnerships that will support our goal of achieving a net zero grid by 2040.

Safety requires collaboration with our communities. Our Safety Action Center webpage at bit.ly/4bWwsv8 provides guidance for customers on emergency planning and preparedness. There you will find practical tips, planning tools, and cost-effective items that can support your personal preparation. And remember to update your contact information so we can notify you of events and outages related to safety power shutoffs (PSPS).