Testing a plan to improve electric utility wildfire safety preparedness, planning, and response

Public Safety Power Shutoff Virtual Tabletop Exercise

The western United States is experiencing both longer fire seasons and challenging fire behavior, posing concerns for utilities responsible for generating, transmitting, and distributing electric power. When hot temperatures, dry fuel conditions, and high winds converge on a system that relies on aboveground infrastructure, the resulting risk of wildfire is significant. Providers of electric power maintain wildfire safety programs that include a public safety power shutoff (PSPS) to de-energize parts of the system and preempt wildfire ignition.

We supported one such utility with a tabletop exercise to test their PSPS plan. Partnering with the utility’s business continuity and emergency management and wildfire operations teams (over 70 players and observers), we explored scenarios spanning all phases of a PSPS. These ranged from readiness and monitoring through watch, warning and de-energization, and re-energization and repair and restoration. As this exercise occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, we designed a fully virtual exercise environment to mimic the experience of an in-person exercise.

We filled the roles of lead facilitator, lead controller, logistics coordinator, and floating support roles. When real-world weather resulted in activation of the PSPS plan at the same time as the exercise, our team adapted to accommodate the needs of utility personnel who needed to attend to their duties while keeping the exercise on track.

Following the exercise, we analyzed the feedback and documentation to generate an after-action report and improvement plan. This provided our client with an independent assessment of organizational strengths, opportunities for improvement, and recommendations to enhance their wildfire safety program and PSPS plan.