Instant Data When Time is Short
Orion Weather Stations are utilized by Bear Valley Electric for wildfire mitigation. A s a critical part of their Wildfire Mitigation Plan, Bear Valley Electric Service (BVES) in California installed 20 Orion™ Weather Stations throughout their system. At 6800-ft elevation, with heavy forests and steep terrain, the area is considered high fire risk. With fire season growing more extreme statewide, the utility has put a new wildfire mitigation plan in place. Including vegetation management and equipment upgrades, operational improvements involve managing circuit controllers during fault conditions when re-energizing might be dangerous, as well as proactive shutoff (de-energization) during extremely high-risk weather conditions. Real-time meteorological data at the various locations can be monitored via a phone app, offering “instant data that experts can analyze when time is short.” Eric Cardella, Engineering Supervisor, says, “In terms of fire safety, that’s important so that...