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<\/p>\nArnold, CA… Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has begun construction on a microgrid designed to provide electricity to certain customers and shared community resources using temporary generation during future Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events.<\/p>\n
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Local microgrid to power key community resources including gas stations, markets and restaurants in Arnold during Public Safety Power Shutoffs<\/p>\n
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has begun construction on a microgrid designed to provide electricity to certain customers and shared community resources using temporary generation during future Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events.<\/p>\n
The temporary microgrid generation site in Arnold was identified and selected\u00a0through an extensive process involving the analysis of prior and expected future PSPS events, along with overall feasibility and other utility work in the region that could reduce PSPS impacts.\u00a0The plan for the Arnold temporary microgrid energization zone includes approximately 125 PG&E customers served by underground power lines to be safely energized during a PSPS event.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Arnold microgrid is one of several sites being developed across PG&E\u2019s service area in 2020-2021 as a part of the company\u2019s comprehensive actions to reduce wildfire risks across our system and minimize the impact of public safety outages on our customers and communities,\u201d said Debbie Powell, vice president, Asset & Risk Management, Community Wildfire Safety Program, PG&E. \u201cOur specific objective with the development of temporary microgrids\u00a0is to provide electricity to resources such as medical facilities and pharmacies, police and fire stations, gas stations, banks, markets and other shared community services when weather conditions make it unsafe to operate the grid.\u201d<\/p>\n
PG&E currently has six temporary microgrid generation sites ready to use during PSPS events throughout its service area. Including Arnold, five sites are currently in development. See below for the full list of locations.<\/p>\n
The under-construction microgrid site in Arnold is located at the Ebbetts Pass Fire District at 1037 Blagen Road. PG&E will be able to rapidly connect mobile generators to the site, allowing the fire station, post office, gas stations, markets, a propane facility, hardware store, restaurants and other facilities and community services to remain energized during future PSPS events impacting the area.. The Arnold temporary microgrid energization zone includes PG&E customers in the general vicinity of Highway 4, extending between Pine Drive and Henry Street.<\/p>\n
Weather conditions and other operational considerations prevent PG&E from guaranteeing electricity to all customers potentially served by this temporary microgrid during all PSPS conditions or scenarios.<\/p>\n
PG&E anticipates\u00a0completing construction on this microgrid generation site in early 2021, depending on weather conditions. Once the site is operational, PG&E will be able to island customers within the temporary microgrid energization zone during PSPS events. Islanding refers to the ability of a microgrid to disconnect from the larger power grid: when the power is turned off during a broader grid outage, the area supported by the microgrid may still remain energized and can operate autonomously.<\/p>\n
While performing this critical safety work during the COVID-19 pandemic, crews will maintain proper social distance recommendations and wear protective equipment when necessary to help safeguard the health and safety of themselves and the general public.<\/p>\n
PG&E customers in the vicinity of the construction site will receive an automated, courtesy phone call from PG&E notifying them of the work taking place.<\/p>\n
Customers who are within the temporary microgrid energization zone will receive a separate communication from PG&E, notifying them of their inclusion in the microgrid and informing them of how it will operate during a PSPS event.<\/p>\n
In addition to deploying temporary microgrids, which are primarily designed to keep shared community services energized, PG&E is working towards a number of improvements to make PSPS events less impactful for customers, these include:<\/p>\n
Learn more about PG&E\u2019s wildfire safety efforts by visiting\u00a0pge.com\/wildfiresafety<\/a>.<\/p>\n List of Temporary Microgrids<\/strong><\/p>\n