PG&E Surveys NorCal Equipment to Reduce Wildfire Risk

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(TNS) — Pacific Gas and Electric recently completed surveys of its equipment in Mendocino County using low-flying helicopters in an effort to reduce wildfire risks, the utility reported.

In a press release, PG&E spokeswoman Megan McFarland explained that “helicopters equipped with Light Detection and Ranging sensors and high-resolution imagery technology (were being flown to) evaluate PG&E powerlines and adjacent trees in rural areas.”

The flights in Mendocino County were expected to conclude by Monday, Sept. 9, were planned “in and around the areas of Fort Bragg, Redwood Lodge, Rockport, Caspar, Whiskey Springs, Crowley, Manchester, Little River, Melbourne, Ingram, Philo, Reilly Heights and Cape Horn.”

The flights were also expected to be conducted in Sonoma and Napa counties.

While the aircraft was flying, McFarland noted that “a surveyor in the helicopter (was collecting data) on PG&E’s powerlines, poles, and the surrounding trees and brush located along distribution circuits within or adjacent to extreme (Tier 3) and elevated (Tier 2) wildfire risk areas (as defined by the California Public Utilities Commission High Fire-Threat District Map).

“This data is used to create a 3-D simulation of our facilities,” McFarland continued, explaining that “the visual representation of PG&E’s facilities gives the utility an accurate and unique picture to determine if there are potential encroachments near its equipment which could require safety improvements or maintenance. Additionally, the data is used to inform PG&E’s machine learning artificial intelligence risk models to predict the potential risk of catastrophic wildfires from vegetation contacting electric lines.”

Along with the aerial patrols, McFarland added that PG&E personnel will use “ground, climbing patrols, physical testing of poles and the use of infrared and LiDAR sensing … to complete inspections of transmission and distribution structures in extreme fire-threat areas, which includes more than 390,000 distribution poles and nearly 39,000 transmission structures.”