06-15-12 BPU RPT 07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R C E R L36"d RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: June 15, 2012 ITEM NO: 7 SUBJECT: ELECTRIC SYSTEM MASTER PLAN FINAL REPORT ISSUE: That the Board of Public Utilities consider approval of the final report summarizing the implementation of Electric System Master Plan (ESMP) recommendations. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Public Utilities receive and file this report. BACKGROUND: The City of Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) serves nearly 107,000 electric customers through a network of transmission lines, substations, and distribution lines. The existing system includes 14 distribution substations, 80 miles of 69kV transmission line, 1,115 miles of distribution line, 27,000 street lights, and 48 Cable miles of fiber optic lines to serve an area of approximately 80 square miles. On a day-to-day basis, staff and other support services plan, design, operate and maintain these facilities. The City of Riverside's high reliability for electric service and low electric rates that customers enjoy is a testament to the excellent work that they do. However,to lay a foundation for improvements and have a plan for the long term,a complete review of all Energy Delivery responsibilities and functions related to the electric system needs to be performed. An Electric System Master Plan (ESMP) provides an assessment of the current electric system and a complete plan for the future to include all related engineering and operations staff, tools, facilities and equipment used to plan, design, build and maintain the system. An ESMP incorporates: A Vision: RPU is committed to providing a reliable,safe, efficient and competitively priced supply of energy to its customers. To ensure the Vision, a sound basis to address difficult decision making about future electric system improvements is required. The Strategy: A comprehensive strategy is needed to address the priority,costs, and timing of critical asset management issues including replacement of aging infrastructure, improved business processes, planning criteria, use of resources, modernization, and safety and reliability standards and requirements. Proposed Actions: Definitive year by year requirements are developed to achieve RPU's Vision by: surfacing the detailed technical challenges it faces;defining the financial strategies needed to implement the capital improvements, and provide appropriate technologies,business practices and staffing requirements to develop and manage the improvements to provide a sustainable, safe, reliable and cost effective electric system to serve our customers into the future. In late 2006, RPU issued a request for interest to all ten consultants on the Energy Delivery Consultant Panel qualified to perform electric system planning and design. Using the City's established consultant selection process, R.W. Beck was selected as the consultant for the project.