Why We Are Here Whats Different Whats Changed

1
Why We Are HereWhats DifferentWhats Changed

• Michael Wells
• WECC Staff

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• Changes and Drivers
• In this Workshop we will explore and discuss
  various initiatives, legislation, and renewed
  priorities that present opportunities
• We need to proactively look for opportunities
  look for new ways of looking at old challenges

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• Blackouts on the Power Grid have included tree
  contact with transmission lines as a key feature
• July 2 3, 1996 WECC BLACKOUT
• August 10, 1996 WECC BLACKOUT
• August 14, 2003 Northeastern US/Canada
• Trees a Root Cause

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• Outages on the
• transmission system
• continue
• to occur in the West
• due to contact with vegetation

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• Transmission System is Stressed as never before
• Load growth in the West few new transmission
  lines
• Security margins on the system have never been
  lower
• New generators coming on-line

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• Utility Vegetation Management
• National Industry Standard NERC
• Vegetation Management Standard under development
  and nearing ballot approval
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FERC
• Transmission Line Vegetation Management Study
  and Report to Congress

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• National Security
• Modern society depends on electricity
• Safety of individuals
• Energy drives the economy

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• Energy Policy Act 2005
• FERC reliability division, ability to make
  industry standards mandatory with compliance
  monitoring and economic sanctions
• Subject to applicable law, requires federal
  agencies to permit access

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• Health Forest Initiative
• Healthy Forest Restoration Act
• National Fire Plan
• Wildland/Urban Interface
• The number and size of wildfires in the West
• Fire management can be an opportunity

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Promoting Effective Collaborations

• ANY
• QUESTIONS
• BEFORE WE GET STARTED?