Pacific Gas and Electric announces overhaul of remote grids to combat fire risk in high threat areas

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced an expansive overhaul of its remote grid program last week, pledging to progress four near Standalone Power Systems this year and launch a standardized monitoring and control platform to scale things up.

Also known as remote grids, these systems allow utilities to offer electric reliability through locally sited solar power, batteries, and backup generators as alternatives to poles, powerlines, and other traditional infrastructure. In remote or high-risk areas, this can also significantly reduce the danger of fire. In PG&E’s case, such deployments will allow the removal of 4.5 miles of distribution lines while allowing area customers to continue receiving energy.

The results will be two wireless systems in Tehama County and two wireless systems in Mariposa County. Each will be modeled on the company’s first operational remote grid, commissioned in Briceburg, Calif., of Mariposa County last year.

“PG&E has identified many locations where remote grids may be the most effective way of reducing wildfire risk and improving electric reliability in the communities we’re privileged to serve,” Jason Glickman, PG&E’s executive vice president of engineering, planning, and strategy, said. “As we expand the use of Standalone Power Systems, we now have a standardized platform for our operations, engineering, and asset management teams that will help us understand and manage real-time and historic system performance.”

Potelco will build and construct the four new systems, which should be operational by early 2023. Meanwhile, the California-based New Sun Road was tapped to supply its Stellar Microgrid OS as the remote monitoring and control platform for PG&E’s Standalone Power Systems. The platform can monitor and control remote grids through satellite and cellular connectivity, allowing for remote performance management, safety diagnostics, alarms, reporting, and automated refueling notifications.

Combined, these remote grids and their control platform will help PG&E to scale its larger program to more than 30 systems by 2026. Additional locations for such grids are being assessed in high fire-threat areas throughout Lake, Sonoma, and Tulare counties, all of which would be managed by the same Stellar Microgrid platform.