Wildfire Resiliency: Avista Utilities’ Multi-Tiered Approach to Risk Mitigation

#power #protection #risk-mitigation

(Due to scheduling conflicts, this event will now be hosted 12/9 at 2:00PM PST)

Welcoming Avista's Jon Gilrein, a protection engineer involved directly in keeping the Spokane community safe through system protection fire mitigation strategies.

Utility-involved wildfires have become one of the largest liabilities faced by electric service providers over the last several years. Wildfire Mitigation Plans have been implemented by an increasing number of electric utilities that operate in regions with high wildfire risk. Avista Utilities implements one such plan that has a direct impact on how the electric system is designed, built, and operated. One critical aspect of Avista’s Wildfire Resiliency Plan is its approach to distribution line protection, designated Fire Safety Mode. This presentation will provide an overview of Avista’s Wildfire Resiliency Plan and explore how Fire Safety Mode was developed for protective devices used within the electrical distribution system- highlighting its functions, features, and its impact on how the system is operated and responds to fault conditions. 

Come join this virtual presentation to learn more about Avista Utilities' multi-tiered approach to fire risk mitigation. 

Jon Gilrein, Senior System Protection Engineer, PE

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Jon Gilrein attended Eastern Washington University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Jon worked at Coffman Engineers early in his career where he designed power and control systems, and performed engineering analysis, including Arc Flash and Protection Coordination studies. Since leaving consulting, Jon has worked at Avista Utilities where he’s held positions as a Standards Engineer, Distribution Operations Engineer, and Systems Protection Engineer. He currently serves as a Senior Protection Engineer in Avista’s System Protection Group. Much of his current work revolves around Avista’s Wildfire Resiliency initiative and implementing the new Automated Distribution Management System with existing protection devices. Jon is a registered Professional Engineer in the states of California and Washington.