OAR 860-300-0020: Wildfire Protection Plan Filing Requirements

(1) Wildfire Mitigation Plans and Updates must, at a minimum, contain the following requirements as set forth in Section 3(2)(a)-(h), chapter 592, Oregon Laws 2021 and as supplemented below: (a) Identified areas that are subject to a heightened risk of wildfire, including determinations for such conclusions, and are: (A) Within the service territory of the Public Utility, and (B) Outside the service territory of the Public Utility but within the Public Utility's right-of-way for generation and transmission assets. (b) Identified means of mitigating wildfire risk that reflects a reasonable balancing of mitigation costs with the resulting reduction of wildfire risk. (c) Identified preventative actions and programs that the Public Utility will carry out to minimize the risk of utility facilities causing wildfire. (d) Discussion of outreach efforts to regional, state, and local entities, including municipalities regarding a protocol for the de-energization of power lines and adjustingpower system operations to mitigate wildfires, promote the safety of the public and first responders and preserve health and communication infrastructure. (e) Identified protocol for the de-energization of power lines and adjusting of power system operations to mitigate wildfires, promote the safety of the public and first responders and preserve health and communication infrastructure, including a PSPS communication strategy consistent with OAR 860-300-0040 through 860-300-0050. (f) Identification of the community outreach and public awareness efforts that the Public Utility will use before, during and after a wildfire season, consistent with OAR 860-300-0040 and OAR 860-300-0050. (g) Description of procedures, standards, and time frames that the Public Utility will use to inspect utility infrastructure in areas the Public Utility identified as heightened risk of wildfire, consistent with OAR 860-024-0018. (h) Description of the procedures, standards, and time frames that the Public Utility will use to carry out vegetation management in in areas the Public Utility identified as heightened risk of wildfire, consistent with OAR 860-024-0018. (i) Identification of the development, implementation, and administrative costs for the plan, which includes discussion of risk-based cost and benefit analysis, including consideration of technologies that offer co-benefits to the utility's system. (j) Description of participation in national and international forums, including workshops identified in section 2, chapter 592, Oregon Laws 2021, as well as research and analysis the Public Utility has undertaken to maintain expertise in leading edge technologies and operational practices, as well as how such technologies and operational practices have been used to develop and implement cost effective wildfire mitigation solutions. (k) Description of ignition inspection program, as described in Division 24 of these rules, including how the utility will determine, and instruct its inspectors to determine, conditions that could pose an ignition risk on its own equipment and on pole attachments. (2) Wildfire Mitigation Plans must be updated annually and filed with the Commission no later than December 31 of each year. Public Utilities are required to provide a plan supplement explaining any material deviations from the applicable Wildfire Mitigation Plan acknowledged by the Commission. A Public Utility's initial Wildfire Protection Plan must be filed no later than December 31, 2021, per section 5, chapter 592, Oregon Laws 2021. (3) Within 180 days of submission, Wildfire Mitigation Plans and Wildfire Plan Updates may be approved or approved with conditions through a process identified by the Commission in utility-specific proceedings, which may include retention of an Independent Evaluator (IE). For purposes of this section, "approved" means the Commission finds that the Wildfire Mitigation Plan or Update is based on reasonable and prudent practices including those the Public Utility identified through Commission workshops identified in SB 762, Section 2, and designed to meet all applicable rules and standards adopted by the Commission. (4) Approval of a Wildfire Mitigation Plan or Update does not establish a defense to any enforcement action for violation of a Commission decision, order or rule or relieve a Public Utility from proactively managing wildfire risk, including by monitoring emerging practices and technologies.