In PG&E’s efforts to prepare for storm related-outages they have turned to AI to enhance their prediction models. They are combining the work from in-house meteorologists with artificial intelligence and their traditional forecasting tools to develop better and more efficient outage prediction models.
The Northern coast of California is set to experience a storm with strong gusts of wind and heavy rainfall to a lot of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s service area this week. The company has both its crews and resources ready to respond to any storm-related outages that may occur. The current PG&E forecast models show that after the last couple days of the storm, it could bring thunderstorms into fruition to the coastal regions, interior valleys and the Central Valley.
As of now, PG&E has 1,600 weather stations operating across the company’s service area, with 1,400 of them equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) systems or advanced machine learning capabilities. Their in-house meteorologists incorporate these technologies with their traditional forecasting tools to enhance the predictability of outages by developing the prediction models, according to PG&E’s spokesperson for the North Coast, Megan McFarland. She informed Maggie Fusek, a staff member of the Patch, that “The data provided through AI and machine learning helps inform the pre-positioning of PG&E crews, trouble workers, distribution line technicians, poles, powerlines, transformers and other equipment ahead of weather events that can cause damage to electric infrastructure.”
She also mentioned that PG&E strategizes where to place their resources to help support the safe and time-strained response, repair, and restoration of power for their customers that are impacted by weather conditions (McFarland).
Recently, PG&E’s data has shown that the South Bay, Central Coast, Kern County and the North Coast are predicted to experience the strongest impacts of the storm. Scott Strenfel told Fusek that PG&E is, “increasing the accuracy of our forecasting with new technologies and that transfers to more cost-effective and strategic allocation of resources along with enhanced safety and reliability for our customers,” said Scott Strenfel, the chief meteorologist at PG&E.
Status updates on assessments, repair and the estimated time of restoration in the event of a power outage can all be found by customers on their online outage center. Renters and other people that don’t have accounts with PG&E can also use this portal to sign up for outage notifications through text, email, or phone.
PG&E has many safety tips in case of a storm such as the one that is occurring now including:
- Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line you should assume that the line is energized and therefore incredibly dangerous. Do not touch or try to move the line—and keep children and animals away from it. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
- Use generators safely: Customers who own standby electric generators should ensure that they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area of the home. Improperly installed generators can cause significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on powerlines. If you are using portable generators, make sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
- Use flashlights, not candles: During power outages, use battery-operated flashlights instead of candles, due to the risk of fire, and keep extra batteries available. If you must use candles, keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals and small children. Do not leave candles unattended at any time.
- Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, like a cordless phone or answering machine, you should plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup. Having a portable charging device helps to keep your cell phone running in the case of an emergency.
- Have fresh drinking water and ice: You can freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that you can place in your refrigerator/freezer to prevent food from spoiling.
- Secure your outside furniture: Strong winds are able to blow lawn chairs and other outdoor items into power lines, so to prevent this, secure it as best you can.
- Turn off appliances: If you experience a power outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances. This is to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when the power becomes restored. You can simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when the power comes back on.
- Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, make sure that you safely clean up. Do not touch downed wires and always call 8-1-1 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging so that all underground utilities can be marked safely.
You can find more tips at: Safety and Preparedness, Storm Safety, and Safety Action Center.
Additional Sources:
patch.com/california/petaluma/storm-related-outages-pg-e-uses-ai-help-prepare
