Utility’s Investments in Technology, Infrastructure and Emergency
Response Planning Harden Gas and Electric Systems and Help Reduce
Response Times to Natural Disasters
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Tomorrow, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will conduct a
two-day, large-scale exercise to test its preparedness and response
plans for a simulated magnitude 7.2 earthquake along the San Andreas
Fault. The drill involves more than 750 employees working in
coordination with 24 emergency centers throughout PG&E’s service area.
These annual exercises test new technology and processes that the
utility has implemented to improve its response to catastrophic events,
including damage models and assessments, rapid logistics support, gas
leak detection tools and portable information technology.
“This is a very comprehensive exercise that will test all aspects of
PG&E’s catastrophic response plan. We continue to make investments in
new technology and infrastructure that make our gas and electric systems
more resilient to catastrophic earthquakes than ever before. Equally
important are the investments we are making to continuously improve and
ensure our readiness. All of our efforts are focused on getting impacted
communities back on their feet as quickly as possible,” said Barry
Anderson, vice president of emergency preparedness and operations for
PG&E.
PG&E’s Emergency Preparedness and Operations organization ensures the
company responds safely and effectively to all types of emergencies. The
utility plays a key role in returning communities back to normal
following a natural disaster. This includes training and coordination
between PG&E employees and local first responders and working with local
governments to establish base camp locations that help expedite
restoration in the most impacted communities. In the Bay Area alone,
PG&E has 14 base camp agreements to support local communities in the
aftermath of a disastrous earthquake or storm.
Since the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, PG&E has hardened its
infrastructure and built more resilient gas and electric systems for
customers. Some examples include:
-
Replacement of cast iron gas distribution lines with modern, plastic
pipe that is more flexible and resilient during an earthquake
-
Replacement of gas transmission pipeline in fault areas to incorporate
advanced design factors that improve the pipe’s resiliency for
earthquakes
-
Installation of automated shut-off valves on gas transmission lines in
fault areas
-
Installation of rollers underneath large substation transformers
-
Replacement of ceramic insulators with flexible polymer insulators
inside substations
-
Installation of automated switch technology that “self-heals” damaged
electric distribution circuits and restores power to a majority of
impacted customers in about 3-5 minutes
While PG&E has robust emergency response plans, earthquakes can be
powerful forces of nature that can disrupt essential services. We
encourage our customers to have their own personal plans for emergencies
as well. To help customers develop plans for earthquakes and other
natural disasters, useful preparedness information can be found at
websites for the American
Red Cross, the California
Office of Emergency Services, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency, and PG&E.
The Red Cross also has Natural
Disaster apps for your smart phone that provide helpful information
for earthquakes and other types of emergencies.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco,
with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the
nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
http://www.pgecurrents.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pacificgasandelectric
https://twitter.com/pge4me
http://www.linkedin.com/company/pacific-gas-and-electric-company
http://www.youtube.com/user/pgevideo
Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company