SAN
DIEGO, Oct. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the
operating environment for utilities becomes more challenging, San
Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is stepping up to lead the
energy sector in climate preparedness. The company has unveiled its
updated cutting-edge Wildfire and Climate Resilience Center,
innovating in wildfire mitigation and grid safety.
SDG&E's new Wildfire and Climate Resilience Center is the
latest innovation in the company's commitment to building an
electrical grid designed to withstand the intensifying effects of
climate change. One of the most technologically advanced in the
industry, the Center serves as a hub for research, development and
implementation of innovative solutions by bringing AI and
predictive modeling together with shared technology and
intelligence with emergency responders to help enable a swift and
integrated response to regional threats. The combination of
extensive data and advanced modeling also contributes to improved
energy affordability by enabling cost-efficient decision-making
that helps reduce risk at a lower cost for customers.
"Our commitment goes beyond reacting to climate challenges. We
are focused on anticipating and preparing for them," said
Caroline Winn, SDG&E's Chief
Executive Officer. "By leveraging strategic investments,
collaborations and community engagement, SDG&E is building the
industry leading platform to support a more sustainable, resilient
energy grid that is better prepared to meet the challenges of today
and tomorrow."
The Wildfire and Climate Resilience Center also serves as
SDG&E's new Emergency Operations Center, a critical hub during
extreme weather events and major disasters. Equipped with advanced
communication and coordination tools, the center is designed to
enhance safety for employees and the public.
The company's Wildfire and Climate Resilience Center is a
centralized focal point of SDG&E's climate resilience
strategy:
- Advanced weather monitoring: SDG&E operates one of
the nation's most sophisticated weather forecasting networks,
offering real-time data to better anticipate and address
weather-related threats. The company's systems use millions of
historical weather data points going back to 2010 to assist in
training AI-based wind forecasting models, including one of the
first AI-trained Santa Ana Wind Gust forecast models in the
industry.
- AI and machine learning: These cutting-edge technologies
can help predict and mitigate wildfire impacts on the energy grid.
For example, SDG&E conducts more than 10 million virtual
wildfire simulations daily to inform operational wildfire risk
models, and uses more than 3.8 million drone images of company
infrastructure to train AI-based inspection models.
- Partnerships with academia: SDG&E partners with
leading academic institutions such as Scripps Institution of
Oceanography's Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes,
San Jose State University, San Diego
Supercomputer Center and the University of
Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center to
develop weather products to better anticipate extreme events,
visualize and share weather and fuel moisture data, analyze fire
potential and detect wildfires using real-time satellite data.
- Community collaboration: SDG&E works closely with
local communities and stakeholders to achieve more inclusive and
effective climate resilience efforts.
- Fire-resistant infrastructure: The company continues to
invest in fire-hardened systems, including undergrounding, steel
poles, and vegetation management, that aim to reduce wildfire
risk.
- Workforce training: Extensive training programs are
equipping SDG&E's workforce to manage and maintain a resilient
grid.
Beyond immediate operations, the Wildfire and Climate Resilient
Center plays a vital role in inspiring future energy professionals,
advancing wildfire and climate science, and engaging local youth in
climate resilience education through a new Resilience Zone. This
fun and engaging learning center includes three climate science
labs, and a series of interactive exhibits designed to educate
young students and partner with academia to advance and share
wildfire and climate science as it relates to the energy grid.
To learn more about SDG&E's wildfire safety initiatives,
visit sdge.com/wildfire-safety.
About SDG&E
SDG&E is an innovative energy
delivery company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to
better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to
creating a sustainable future by increasing energy delivered from
low or zero-carbon sources; accelerating the adoption of electric
vehicles; and investing in innovative technologies to ensure the
reliable operation of the region's infrastructure for generations
to come. SDG&E is a recognized leader in its industry and
community, as demonstrated by being named Corporate Partner of the
Year at the San Diego Business Journal's Nonprofit & Corporate
Citizenship Awards and receiving PA Consulting's
ReliabilityOne® Award for Outstanding Reliability
Performance for 18 consecutive years. SDG&E is a subsidiary of
Sempra (NYSE: SRE), a leading North American energy infrastructure
company. For more information, visit
SDGEtoday.com or
connect with SDG&E on social media @SDGE.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions about the
future, involve risks and uncertainties, and are not guarantees.
Future results may differ materially from those expressed or
implied in any forward-looking statement. These forward-looking
statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the
date of this press release. We assume no obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
In this press release, forward-looking statements can be
identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "intend,"
"anticipate," "contemplate," "plan," "estimate," "project,"
"forecast," "envision," "should," "could," "would," "will,"
"confident," "may," "can," "potential," "possible," "proposed," "in
process," "construct," "develop," "opportunity," "preliminary,"
"initiative," "target," "outlook," "optimistic," "poised,"
"positioned," "maintain," "continue," "progress," "advance,"
"goal," "aim," "commit," or similar expressions, or when we discuss
our guidance, priorities, strategy, goals, vision, mission,
opportunities, projections, intentions or expectations.
Factors, among others, that could cause actual results and
events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any
forward-looking statement include: California wildfires, including potential
liability for damages regardless of fault and any inability to
recover all or a substantial portion of costs from insurance, the
wildfire fund established by California Assembly Bill 1054, rates
from customers or a combination thereof; decisions, investigations,
inquiries, regulations, denials or revocations of permits,
consents, approvals or other authorizations, renewals of
franchises, and other actions, including the failure to honor
contracts and commitments, by the (i) California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC), U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, U.S. Internal Revenue Service and other
regulatory bodies and (ii) U.S. and states, counties, cities and
other jurisdictions therein where we do business; the success of
business development efforts and construction projects, including
risks related to (i) completing construction projects or other
transactions on schedule and budget, (ii) realizing anticipated
benefits from any of these efforts if completed, (iii) obtaining
third-party consents and approvals and (iv) third parties honoring
their contracts and commitments; macroeconomic trends or other
factors that could change our capital expenditure plans and their
potential impact on rate base or other growth; litigation,
arbitration and other proceedings, and changes (i) to laws and
regulations, including those related to tax and trade policy and
(ii) due to the results of elections; cybersecurity threats,
including by state and state-sponsored actors, of ransomware or
other attacks on our systems or the systems of third parties with
which we conduct business, including the energy grid or other
energy infrastructure; the availability, uses, sufficiency, and
cost of capital resources and our ability to borrow money on
favorable terms and meet our obligations, including due to (i)
actions by credit rating agencies to downgrade our credit ratings
or place those ratings on negative outlook, (ii) instability in the
capital markets, or (iii) rising interest rates and inflation; the
impact on affordability of our customer rates and our cost of
capital and on our ability to pass through higher costs to
customers due to (i) volatility in inflation, interest rates and
commodity prices and (ii) the cost of meeting the demand for lower
carbon and reliable energy in California; the impact of climate policies,
laws, rules, regulations, trends and required disclosures,
including actions to reduce or eliminate reliance on natural gas,
increased uncertainty in the political or regulatory environment
for California natural gas
distribution companies, the risk of nonrecovery for stranded
assets, and uncertainty related to emerging technologies; weather,
natural disasters, pandemics, accidents, equipment failures,
explosions, terrorism, information system outages or other events,
such as work stoppages, that disrupt our operations, damage our
facilities or systems, cause the release of harmful materials or
fires or subject us to liability for damages, fines and penalties,
some of which may not be recoverable through regulatory mechanisms
or insurance or may impact our ability to obtain satisfactory
levels of affordable insurance; the availability of electric power,
natural gas and natural gas storage capacity, including disruptions
caused by failures in the transmission grid, pipeline system or
limitations on the withdrawal of natural gas from storage
facilities; and other uncertainties, some of which are difficult to
predict and beyond our control.
These risks and uncertainties are further discussed in the
reports that the company has filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC). These reports are available through the
EDGAR system free-of-charge on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, and
on Sempra's website, www.sempra.com. Investors should not rely
unduly on any forward-looking statements.
Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra
Texas, Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC
(Oncor) and Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.P.I. de C.V.
(IEnova) are not the same companies as the California utilities, San Diego Gas &
Electric Company or Southern California Gas Company, and Sempra
Infrastructure, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, Sempra Texas,
Sempra Texas Utilities, Oncor and IEnova are not regulated by the
CPUC.
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SOURCE San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
