Technology Utilization in Electric
Infrastructure Management
Prepared for the Emerging Trends Committee
February 26, 2020
Safety and Enforcement Division
Electric Safety and Reliability Branch
1) Electric Safety and Reliability Branch Databases and
Utility Databases
2)
Technology Utilization in
Electric Infrastructure Management
2
3) Renewable Energy Generation
Modeling Tools and Utilization
Electric Safety and Reliability Branch (ESRB)
Database for Facilities
➢ ESRB’s Electric and Communication Database includes:▪ Electric utility incidents;
▪ Customer complaints and inquiries;
▪ Facilities audits/inspections for transmission, distribution, substation, and
Communication Infrastructure Provider facilities.
➢ Database includes data requests and responses, photos, reports, etc.
➢ Facilities audit reports are in the database and also on ESRB’s website.3
ESRB Records for Generation
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➢ ESRB’s Generation Power Plant Outage Reporting (PPOR): Generator outage
reports are web-based and are placed directly into an internal ESRB database.
➢ ESRB’s generation audit and incident investigation reports are in an internal ESRB
shared network.
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Databases used to manage facilities,
field findings, and work orders
Databases used for vegetation
management
PG&E GIS for transmission and distribution;
SAP for substations;
SAP for work orders
ArcGIS, Vegetation Management
Database
SCE SAP ArcGIS, FULCRUM
SDG&E GIS for transmission and distribution
facilities; TCMData for transmission
work orders; SAP for distribution work
orders; CASCADE for substations
ArcGIS, PowerWorkz, CityWorkz
Overview of Utility Databases
Inspector Access to Information
in Utility Databases
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For combination
poles, can
facilities
inspectors
access
transmission
work orders and
vice versa?
Can
distribution
inspectors view
hazardous
trees listed in
the vegetation
management
database?
Can vegetation
inspectors view
hazardous trees
found by
facilities
inspectors?
PG&E No No Yes
SCE Yes No Yes
SDG&E No No Yes
Utility Database Improvements
• Commission Proceedings I.17-06-027/R.17-06-028 are considering
development of pole and conduit databases that contain asset information
and provide access to Communications Infrastructure Providers.
• PG&E is planning to integrate substation GIS and SAP databases.
• PG&E is piloting a mobile tool called Inspect App. A distribution or
transmission inspector can create notifications to remove/trim vegetation in
SAP. The notification will include pictures, locations, and deadline to
perform the work.
• PG&E has developed mobile tools to expedite pre-inspection and tree work
activities in the field.
• SCE is evaluating methods to better integrate the data it receives from its
multiple sources of vegetation management data.
• SDG&E is evaluating methods to better integrate the vegetation
management data it receives from field crews.7
1) Electric Safety and Reliability Branch Databases and
Utility Databases
2) Modeling Tools and Utilization
Technology Utilization in Electric Infrastructure
Management
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3) Renewable Energy Generation
Examples of Modeling Tool Utilization:
Pole Loading Models
• Pole loading models allow ESRB
to determine if a pole complies
with General Order 95 safety
factor requirements.
• SpidaCALC is a commonly-used
pole loading model that ESRB has
used to verify a utility’s own
SpidaCALC calculations.
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Overloaded poles can fail and
cause FIRE IGNITION.
Examples of Modeling Tool Utilization:Modeling Condition of Bare Overhead Conductors
• ESRB has used a conductor
heating model – based on
computer code in an IEEE
Standard – to assess the
condition of bare overhead
conductors.
• For an incident in Ridgecrest,
ESRB showed that the overhead
conductor was in poor condition,
which caused it to overheat and
fall to the ground resulting in an
injury.
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0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Temperature in Fahrenheit vs. Time (second)
2679 A fault on AWG No. 4 copper
conductor lasting 0.604 second
Examples of Modeling Tool Utilization:Electromagnetic Models
Poor conductor design and maintenance
can lead to conductor failure and
FIRE IGNITION.
• Electromagnetic models allow
ESRB to assess the following:
– Proper conductor sizing;
– Proper conductor design/
configuration;
– Proper conductor maintenance.
• ESRB used Python, which is a
programming language with
libraries tailored toward science
and engineering applications.
Current Density vs. Radius for an AWG 1590
Copper Conductor (programmed in Python)
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Wind is a major contributor
to structural failure,
increasing the risk of FIRE IGNITION.
Stress Analysis Models allow ESRB
to assess structural members (e.g.,
hooks and other end fittings) for the
following:
• Compliance with GO 95 strength
requirements;
• Proper design;
• Proper maintenance;
• Ability to withstand wind loads.
• E
Poor structural design and
maintenance can lead to
catastrophic failure and
FIRE IGNITION.
Fluid Models allow ESRB to research and
understand the following phenomena:
• Effects of terrain on wind behavior;
• Flow characteristics of different wind sources
(e.g. synoptic winds, thunderstorms, etc.);
• Effects of wind on overhead structures.
• E
Other Examples of Modeling Tool Utilization
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1) Electric Safety and Reliability Branch Databases and
Utility Databases
2) Modeling Tools and Utilization
Technology Utilization in Electric Infrastructure
Management
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3) Renewable Energy Generation
ESRB Oversight of Renewable Generation
➢ California’s renewable and zero-carbon energy goals (SB 100):
▪ 50% of electricity from renewable resources by EOY 2026;
▪ 60% from renewable resources by EOY 2030;
▪ 100% from renewable and zero-carbon resources by EOY 2045.
PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E currently obtain 39%, 36%, and 44% of their electricity from
renewables, respectively.
➢ General Order (GO) 167 contains standards for operation and maintenance of electric
generators.
➢ ESRB investigates incidents at generation facilities, including renewables.
➢ In 2017, ESRB began auditing renewable generators for GO 167 compliance:
▪ 2017 High Winds wind facility and Topaz Solar Farm audits;
▪ 2019 Shiloh Solar Farm and Great Valley Solar Farm audits;
▪ 2020 Geysers Geothermal and two other renewable audits are planned.
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Tower Buckle Generator Fire Blade Detachment
Large Electric Generating Asset Owners
Subject to General Order 167*
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Power Plant TypeNumber of Power Plants
50 MW or largerTotal Capacity (MW)
2017 2019 2017 2019
Thermal – Natural Gas 45 48 25,667 20,936
Geothermal 6 6 396 396
Wind 30 33 3,926 4,388
Solar - Thermal & PV 35 41 6,450 7,542
TOTAL 116 128 36,439 33,262
*Table does not include facilities less than 50 MW, or hydro, nuclear, and Qualifying Facilities
(QFs). General Order 167 has limited requirements applicable to hydro, nuclear, and QFs.
Energy Storage and Batteries➢ As California ramps up renewable energy resources, an unprecedented amount of storage is
needed to supplement intermittent resources like wind and solar.
➢ D.13-10-040 directed the large investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to collectively procure 1,325
MW storage by 2024.
➢ D.17-04-039 directed the IOUs to procure an additional 500 MW of distributed energy
storage (i.e. storage connected to the distribution grid or behind the meter).
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➢ Currently, the General Orders do not contain regulations specific to energy storage.
➢ ESRB inspects, e.g., backup batteries using “accepted good practices” standards.
➢ General Order rule changes would be needed for specific requirements applicable to storage.
Transmission Energy
Storage Procurement
Target (MWs)
Distribution Energy
Storage Procurement
Target
(MWs)
PG&E 580 166.67
SCE 580 166.67
SDG&E 165 166.67
Total 1,325 500
Current Transmission
Energy Storage
(MWs)
243
422
156
821
Thank you.
Any questions?
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