System Improvements

System hardening initiatives strengthen assets like power poles and other infrastructure to reduce the chance of incidents and protect against extreme weather conditions. Risk modeling evaluates the consequences of potential issues with the system; then we undertake repair-and-replace programs to prevent and fix potential issues. We’re also implementing new technologies to help mitigate risks. While it’s impossible to eliminate every risk, we continue to maintain and upgrade our system and collaborate with other utilities to protect people and property.

Our work in this area includes:

Focused inspections of assets like poles and wires in Wildfire Risk Zones to determine potential areas of concern. We patrol our lines with drones and helicopters for an overhead view. We also use LiDAR sensing, which creates a real-time, 3D map of our equipment and the surrounding terrain and vegetation.
Replacing equipment and poles with new, safer technology and removing equipment that may create the potential for incidents that could lead to a wildfire.
Analyzing the strength of transmission and distribution structures to withstand potential wind speeds and maintain adequate clearances.
Conducting enhanced trimming of trees and other vegetation around our infrastructure.