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CC- (1) Consideration of a Position in Support of Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Grid Safety and Resiliency Program and (2) Approval of the Use of the City’s Seal and Mayor’s Signature in SCE’s Sign on Letter to the California Public Utilities Commission.
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Meeting Date: December 10, 2018
Contact Person/Dept: Shelly Wolfberg/City Manager’s Office
Phone Number: (310) 253-6000
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Diane Forte, SCE; Meetings and Agendas - City Council (12/06/18);
Department Approval: John M. Nachbar, City Manager (12/06/18)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) consider adopting a position in support of Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Grid Safety and Resiliency Program and (2) approve the use of the City’s Seal and Mayor’s signature in SCE’s Sign on Letter to the California Public Utilities Commission.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
SCE indicates the unprecedented scale of wildfires, like those that have hit both northern and southern California, make it increasingly clear that California needs to take additional steps to prevent and suppress wildfires. SCE is taking significant steps to help the state of California address its dramatically increasing wildfire risk. SCE is proposing to spend nearly $600 million in the next two and a half years (2018-2020) on additional wildfire safety measures as part of its enhanced GS&RP, which was the subject of the application SCE filed with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on September 10, 2018. SCE will also continue to work with state leaders on policies to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire damages while ensuring equitable distribution of costs.
SCE’s Grid Resiliency and Safety Program to Enhance Wildfire Mitigation Efforts
SCE states it has long employed and regularly updated robust design and construction standards, vegetation management activities, and operational practices to mitigate wildfire risk. The increasingly extreme weather conditions brought about by evolving climate change have created a “new normal”, in which the risk of devastating fires is higher and now lasts year round. This requires a comprehensive, year-round wildfire mitigation strategy. SCE’s GS&RP goes above and beyond long-standing industry practices and focuses on three key areas: hardening SCE’s grid, bolstering SCE’s situational awareness capabilities, and enhancing its operational practices. A One-Sheet with additional background is attached (Attachment 1).
If the GS&RP is approved, the average monthly bill for a residential customer using 550 kilowatt-hours per month would increase by about $1.20; income-qualified CARE customers would see an increase of about 81 cents per month. The total costs include $175 million in Operations & Maintenance expenses and $407 million in capital spending.
Safety and resiliency are significant issues to Culver City, and SCE has contacted the City to request the City’s support by signing onto and providing City logo to the attached letter of support to the California Public Utilities Commission (Attachment 2).
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact for the City Council to support SCE’s GS&RP and sign onto a letter of support to the CPUC. However, if the CPUC approves SCE’s GS&RP request, all SCE ratepayers would see an increase in their electricity bills, including the City of Culver City.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2018-12-10__ATT 1__SCE One-Sheet with Background information on GS&RP
2. 2018-12-10__ATT 2__SCE Letter of Support to the California Public Utilities Commission
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Adopt a position in support of Southern California Edison’s Grid Safety and Resiliency Program; and
2. Approve the use of the City’s Seal and Mayor’s signature in Southern California Edison’s Sign on Letter to the California Public Utilities Commission; or
3. Provide other direction as deemed appropriate.