Memorable moments from the September 28 hybrid conference, including what was said there by NARUC President Paul Kjellander, PJM CEO Manu Asthana, Exelon Utilities CEO Calvin Butler, Pennsylvania PUC Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille, Maryland PSC Chair Jason Stanek, Illinois Commerce Commission Chair Carrie Zalewski, AGA CEO Karen Harbert, EPRI VP Neva Espinoza, New York PSC Commissioner Diane Burman, and Sierra Club D.C. Chapter Vice Chair Mark Rodeffer.

The utilities industry holds three of its most important conferences of the year over a seven-day period.

PG&E met with firms that responded to its Request for Information, each of which presented their approaches to accomplish this unprecedented project. Herein are key excerpts of the RFI.

“The program required a comprehensive look at benefits versus costs, with a focus on extreme weather events, so we conducted a thorough and robust data-driven analysis.”

“Based on our current risk analysis, undergrounding is estimated to reduce about ninety percent of wildfire risk, while covered conductor is estimated at about seventy percent.”

“Everybody having a seat at the table. It’s what is helping this program be successful.”

“We use the latest horizontal drilling technology – directional boring and missile boring equipment – to minimize disruptions to customers’ properties.”

“The idea behind this program is to reduce total length of restoration from specific storms, from any kind of catastrophic event. The best way is to find the most outage-prone zones and put them underground.”

As we have experienced the effects of innovation in all aspects of our industry, so too has innovation revolutionized the conversion from “overheading” to undergrounding. Converting selected overhead wires to underground cables has consequently become a compelling option for utilities across the country.