Can the grid’s wildfire defense stay ahead of extreme weather?
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Although camera systems didn’t help early detection of the Dixie Fire, the technology is one of the most promising to come from research labs and vendors, McGranaghan said. Artificial intelligence software will tighten identification of fires by filtering out false positives, like a column of dust kicked up by a truck on a mountain road, and combine images from multiple cameras to pinpoint fire locations.
In another high-profile use, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has successfully tested sensors with communications links that can determine when a power line has been cut and can shut off current to the line in less than a second, before a severed end hits the ground and begins sparking, McGranaghan said. “They’ve proved that could be done,” he added.
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A 2020 wildfire mitigation plan from Xcel listed eight vulnerable transmission lines in the designated wildfire threat area and new technology, including:
- Using advanced sensors and tracking systems to better detect and locate downed lines, tree contacts with lines and other faults.
- Replacing switches and fuses that can give off sparks during operation with new models that prevent such fire risks.
- Installing communications equipment to enable remote control of switches to reduce fire risks during periods of high wildfire vulnerability.
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Last July, PG&E said it can only rely so much on fire defense technologies. It asked state utility commissioners to approve burying up to 10,000 miles of aboveground distribution lines in high wildfire risk areas. Estimates of the cost range from $20 billion to $40 billion.
“There is an emerging consensus in California that what’s going on is not sustainable. It’s too expensive,” Stanford’s Wara said.
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