Due to the aging American grid’s inability to adapt to the climate’s longer-lasting droughts, warmer temperatures, and drier landscapes, electrically initiated wind-driven fires are becoming more frequent and catastrophic. While the Tubbs Fire in 2017 claimed 22 lives and burned over 5,600 structures, the Camp Fire in 2018 destroyed the town of Paradise and claimed 85 lives. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), a Californian utility, reached a $13.5 billion settlement in 2019 for wildfires, including both fires, that were associated with its machinery. At least 115 people have now died in the Lahaina fire, and hundreds more are still unaccounted for.
What utility companies are planning
Utility companies are thinking about subterraneaning their electrical infrastructure in order to reduce the risk of wildfires and increase dependability. This would remove the requirement for undergrounding and lessen the necessity for power shutdowns for public safety. But the expense of establishing lines and excavating thousands of kilometers of trenches is enormous; customers have to pay for it either by paying more for power or, if the government subsidizes it, by paying taxes.
By utilizing steel or stronger composite materials for utility poles and clearing out dead vegetation from near equipment, utilities can strengthen their aboveground electrical infrastructure and increase its resistance to failure and sparking. The microgrid system, which is essentially a system of solar panels powering a sizable battery that may be depleted in the event that the bigger grid fails, is another topic of research.
