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Supervisors ask CPUC to
oppose SDG&E shutoff plan
By Joe Naiman
The Alpine Sun
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego County Board
of Supervisors has directed the county's Chief Administrative
Officer to draft a letter to the California Public Utilities
Commission, which would communicate the supervisors' opposition
to San Diego Gas & Electric's plan to shut off power to as many
as 60,000 customers during high-risk fire weather.
The opposition to SDG&E's plan was unanimous among the
Board of Supervisors, although Ron Roberts had to leave the
meeting prior to the vote and the official vote was 4-0 in favor
of the motion.
"The risks to lives and property are far greater with
the power off than on," Jacob said.
Roberts favors the concept of a cutoff plan to prevent
fires caused by downed or arced power lines in high winds but
feels such a decision should be made by the emergency response
team. "I don't think that SDG&E unilaterally should be
implementing that," he said.
Supervisors Greg Cox is also amenable to a cutoff plan
with proper decision-making. "There may be circumstances where
this makes sense," he said.
SDG&E has asked the California Public Utilities
Commission to review a plan that would cut power to customers
during high-risk fire weather. Several criteria would need to be
met: A "red flag" fire warning from the National Weather
Service, sustained winds of at least 35 mph or sustained winds
of at least 30 mph with gusts of at least 55 mph, a humidity
level under 20 percent, and moisture levels below 6 percent for
dry brush and 75 percent for live plants.
"We would only shut off power during extreme
conditions," said J.C. Thomas of SDG&E.
"Turning off power is not something we take lightly,"
Thomas said. "We believe it can help prevent another
catastrophic fire in our region."
SDG&E has also requested that the County of San Diego
enter into a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the utility
to delineate responsibilities in the event of a "proactive"
shutoff.
"It is a radical plan and it's never been done anywhere
in the state," Jacob said.
Jacob noted that she was willing to support the plan if it had
the support of the affected communities. "The key stakeholders
are not on board," she said.
The shutoff would cut electricity to pumps needed to
provide water to customers, including fire departments. The
Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD), Padre Dam Municipal
Water District, Rainbow Municipal Water District, Ramona
Municipal Water District, Valley Center Municipal Water
District, and Yuima Municipal Water District all formally
protested the plan.
"SDG&E will create actual emergencies," said Jennifer
Haley, the legal counsel on the proposed SDG&E action for both
FPUD and Padre Dam. "Our customers will be without water at the
hottest and driest time of the year."
Valley Center Municipal Water District general manager
Gary Arant noted that fire departments often use water to fight
fires outside the service area of the department's water
district.
"This is an ill-conceived plan," he said. "The terrain
of the rural areas requires that we use pumps to move water."
Ramona Municipal Water District counsel Sophie Akins
read a letter from Ramona MWD general manager Ralph McIntosh
stating the district's opposition to the plan.
"If you go in and cut off power to water pumps in the
Back Country, you're going to be unable to fight fires," said
Supervisor Pam Slater-Price.
Jacob also noted that a power shutoff would hinder
evacuation efforts. Residents would be evacuating in the dark,
and the Reverse 911 emergency notification system might not
work. Electric garage door openers might not operate during a
shutoff, and traffic signals would not function during an
evacuation.
Jacob also noted that gas pumps would not be working
just prior to an evacuation notice. "Evacuees unable to fill
their fuel tanks present risks," she said.
Law enforcement and other public safety resources would
also be diverted due to the power outages. Cell phone sites
would also become inoperable, and residents would also be unable
to learn about their situation through Internet service or
television. The communications issues have caused AT&T and Cox
Communications to oppose the plan.
"The SDG&E plan would disrupt AT&T's network," said
Ignacio De La Torre of AT&T.
"The plan does not increase public safety," said Joe
Gabaldon of Cox Communications.
"It really puts a lot of people at risk," said
Supervisor Bill Horn. "In a disaster like this, communication's
one of the best ways of saving lives."
The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) also
registered opposition to the plan on the grounds that school
sites will not be able to meet applicable health and safety
requirements.
"The plan imposes severe risks on affected
schoolchildren and teachers," said SDCOE public information
officer Jim Esterbrooks.
Esterbrooks told the supervisors that without backup
power, school sites would be cut off from the outside world and
would be unable to contact emergency service providers as well
as unable to receive evacuation warnings. Esterbrooks also noted
that the shutoffs or shutoff threats would cause children to be
kept home from school, depriving the schools of their Average
Daily Attendance funding.
The loss of water and air conditioning are a matter of
comfort for many people but a matter of health for seniors,
infants, and others. An outage would also deactivate medical
equipment.
"Our patients are on dialysis. They're on insulin. That
means refrigeration," said Judith Shaplin of Mountain Health and
Community Service.
Shaplin also noted that the conditions, which would
trigger a shutoff would exceed the duration of a normal outage.
"It could last for a week," she said.
The threat of a prolonged outage would likely cause
many residents to utilize backup generators. Boulevard Community
Planning Group chair Donna Tisdale noted that the fuel storage
for those generators and the ignition when the generators are
activated also pose fire risks.
"This is actually a third-world approach," Blossom
Valley resident and former Lakeside Community Planning Group
chair Gordon Shackelford said of a plan which would force
citizens to resort to individual systems.
Thomas noted that all five conditions, four of which
are measured criteria and the other declared by the National
Weather Service, would need to be met before the shutoff would
be implemented. "As a region we have to do something," he said.
"We have to make changes to reduce the potential for another
catastrophe."
While the SDG&E transmission and distribution lines are
designed to withstand winds of up to 54 mph, Thomas noted that
winds of lesser speeds can blow tree branches into power lines
and that the sparks from arcking can ignite dry vegetation.
Patsy Fritz of Pauma Valley also supported the cutoff
plan. "It's about preparedness," she said. "We're not talking
crisis control. We're talking catastrophe control."
Tisdale noted that high winds are normal in many
mountain communities. "I know it's going to be much more
frequent than they claim," she said of the proposed shutoffs.
Tisdale also noted that a generator required to pump
well water from the depths many Back Country residents utilize
could cost more than $15,000. She also noted that much of the
Back Country is dependent upon groundwater. "Most of that's
outside the County Water Authority, so people need wells," she
said.
"This plan to shut off power at a time when people need
it the most is irresponsible," said Milton Cyphert of Lakeside,
who lost his home in the October 2003 Cedar Fire.
"This is a matter of life and death for many people,"
Tisdale said.
"There may be a plan out there. This is not the plan,"
said Diane Conklin, who lives in Ramona and represented the
Mussey Grade Road Alliance.
Horn noted that in some recent fires the conditions
triggering the shutdown would have occurred after the initial
outbreak of the fires — and during the evacuation process. "I
think this is ill-advised," he said. "It adds to the disaster
rather than helps us."
"I think there's a lot more questions than there are
answers," Cox said of the SDG&E plan.
"The security of the population is so important here,"
Horn said.
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