Fire Risk Mitigation Initiative (FiRM)
Since 2007, SDG&E has invested $1.5 billion in fire risk mitigation. This includes robust efforts to fire harden the power grid, enhance situational awareness, update operating protocols and build community partnerships to improve the region’s overall ability to respond to wildfires. The Fire Risk Mitigation (FiRM) program addresses fire risk by modernizing critical and aging infrastructure. The wire and pole replacement work are part of our Fire Risk Mitigation (FiRM) initiative that launched in 2014.
As part of our commitment to provide safe and reliable energy to our customers, we’re proactively addressing fire risk by “hardening” high-risk wildfire and fire-prone areas. Wooden power poles are upgraded with fire-resistant steel poles with thicker, stronger wire. This effort includes upgrading the older overhead electric distribution system by using advanced technology and improving our system to adequately handle known weather conditions. Did you know sixty percent of the electric system is undergrounded? It equates to 10,000 miles of electrical lines!
Benefits
- Enhanced safety and reliability of the distribution system
- Improved electric system performance during extreme weather conditions
- Reduced cost and environmental impacts for future maintenance activities
FAQs: coming soon
What to expect
As we work in your community and surrounding areas, expect to see SDG&E staff and authorized contractors performing job walks to assist with the design process. This level of data analysis is required to safely and efficiently prepare for construction work.
1. Visual assessment of current equipment
- SDG&E crews or authorized contractors will visually assess current equipment (poles, lines, conductors, etc.) and environmental conditions to assist with the design process
- This visual examination may require helicopters and/or drone aircraft, along with multiple visits to each pole location to collect data and take photos
- To minimize visits to each pole location, job walks require teams of up to 15 people from construction, design, engineering, environmental, survey and land services
After a job walk is completed you may see markers that have been placed to identify the proposed new pole and anchor locations.
SDG&E construction crews and/or contractors will work safely and efficiently to minimize impacts to customers, and strive to mitigate construction traffic, dust, and noise.
2. Potential temporary public safety power shutoffs
FiRM activities may require us to temporarily shut off power to ensure our crews can work safely on these facilities. If the power requires temporary shut off, SDG&E® will contact impacted customers in advance of the planned outage.
- Construction crews will install new steel poles, overhead wires and other electric equipment
- Typical construction schedules may span several weeks to months depending on the size of the project, accessibility, weather, and other factors
- In some areas, tree pruning, or brush clearing may be required
3. Post-construction inspection
- After crews have completed construction activities, our Post Construction Inspector will visit each pole to inspect and identify items that will need to be corrected by the construction team
- Typical construction schedules for this go-back work spans a few days and are usually minor construction activities
- Once construction activities are complete, a final examination is performed typically using drone aircraft to capture photo and survey documentation
For more information
- To learn more, call 1-844-804-8106 or email [email protected]