PG&E says stepped up tree clearance not as effective at fire prevention as grid technologies to quickly cut power to damaged lines.
Heading into California’s peak wildfire season, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has shifted its strategy to avoid sparking another devastating blaze: It’s focusing less aggressively on trimming trees that pose hazards near electrical wires and relying more on technology to quickly de-energize damaged lines.
“We develop and implement our wildfire mitigation programs based on the best information and data that we have at the time, and our capabilities have continued to evolve and mature since 2019,” PG&E spokesman Matt Nauman said. Among the issues Energy Safety cited were that PG&E’s plan doesn’t adequately address risk from hazardous trees, doesn’t provide targets for vegetation inspection programs, and doesn’t show how it will address its growing equipment repair backlog. The department also said the utility’s plan to bury power lines underground in highest fire risk areas is insufficient.
PG&E, which serves more than 5 million households in the northern two-thirds of the state, has been uniquely troubled. The utility was convicted in federal court of criminal safety violations involving a 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno that killed eight people and destroyed more than 30 homes.
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