Project History (2012-2015)
In 2012, more than 4,000 power line-caused wildfires were documented to have occurred in Texas in the previous three years, costing the state and its citizens hundreds of millions of dollars. In response, the legislature appropriated funds to demonstrate new technologies to detect ignition mechanisms to mitigate wildfire risks and losses. The project initiation meeting occurred in December 2013, at PUC headquarters in Austin.
The wildfire mitigation project was conducted over a three-year period and engaged seven utilities in the state.
Technical Basis for Project
Beginning in the 1980s, the Power System Automation Laboratory of Texas A&M University conducted extensive research on the fault and failure mechanisms on electric power circuits that caused outages and unsafe conditions. Extensive field work from 1990-2010 monitored electric circuits on a continuous basis capturing high-fidelity signatures of faults, device failures, and abnormal operating conditions. Scores of circuits were monitored in cooperation with multiple utilities. Extensive database of faults and failures was created.
This research demonstrated that it was possible to detect incipient fault conditions at an early stage long before catastrophic failure resulted in an outage or dangerous condition. It was documented that existing power system protection techniques, while fully capable of interrupting high current faults, could not detect the early failure mechanisms that may develop over many days or weeks. It was then recognized that incipient failure conditions including failing line apparatus and arcing equipment can cause wildfire ignition. Preliminary work demonstrated that advanced digital technology could be used to detect, find, and fix failing devices and dangerous conditions leading to the prevention of wildfires.
In concert with the Texas A&M Forest Service fire-risk predictive models, it was postulated that many wildfires could be prevented and that real-time data could provide operator awareness of fires as they occur, facilitating rapid response. The proposed system had the potential to improve public safety, save lives, and significantly reduce wildfire-related property losses.
The Texas legislature authorized and funded a two-year TEES project, with ultimately a one-year extension, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the A&M developed technology in cooperation with utilities in selected high-risk fire areas. With cooperation of seven utilities, 100 electric circuits were continuously monitored collecting data that supported the development of detection algorithms for wide range of failures and abnormal events that can occur and represent ignition mechanisms for wildfires.
Project Status and Continuation
The three-year state-funded wildfire mitigation project resulted in the initiation of a more significant investigation that continues today. The current state of the follow-on research is separately presented.