THE OFFICIAL 20/21 TAHOE SKI & SNOWBOARD THREAD. PANDEMIC SCHMANDEMIC!

[dookeyXXX]

What were/are the hospitals going to do?

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeit, I was more worried about all the ice cream that would go to waste at the supermarkets...

Truckee/Tahoe school district just sent an email saying they met with utilities this morning and were told a power outage is now unlikely.

And, heck, I woulda thought that teachers and admin woulda relished 2 days off...

[TahoeJ]

What were/are the hospitals going to do?

They have backup generators. At least for where it's crucial, anyway.

[bodywhomper]

They have backup generators. At least for where it's crucial, anyway.

Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, in Grass Valley, also has back-up generation. After the first extended PSPS several years ago, PGE installed big generators at the local substation and powered up the distribution circuit that the hospital was tied to when the PSPS was at the transmission line level. This had an added benefit for powering the businesses and residents tied into the same circuit.

[J. Barron DeJong]

And, heck, I woulda thought that teachers and admin woulda relished 2 days off...

I think most teachers would prefer to save that time off for when it’s really needed: Pow days

[old goat]

Msg from TDPUD is that the outage is canceled.

[lepistoir]

That's interesting since the fire weather watch was upgraded to a red flag warning.

[old goat]

That's interesting since the fire weather watch was upgraded to a red flag warning.

I think the red flag warning goes up closer to the event--like storm watch followed by storm warning in the winter.

What bodywhomper is talking about are microgrids. Truckee could potentially have several. Who pays for the generators? Who pays for the fuel? Can they get generators? I don't think Truckee is seriously thinking about those, just hoping to get through this season. Maybe in a year or two. A microgrid could service 2 grocery stores and a hospital and a hardware store to boot. Second one out by airport, town offices, raley's and another hardware store.

There is some concern about how long water and sewage can be pumped in a prolonged outage. Since there will be no internet cell phone service is expected to be overwhelmed so 911 calls may not get through. There doesn't seem to be a solution for this unless the carriers significantly upgrade capacity.

There was a prolonged outage last winter--unplanned, trees took out all 3 of NV Energies lines to Truckee and North Tahoe. Winter is a good time to have an outage if you have a stove and wood, because there's a refrigerator right out the door. The problem with all of these outages is that they have to inspect every bit of line before it can be re-energized. We were out 22 hours but we know people who were out longer waiting for lines to be checked. Helicopters, guys with binoculars. Drones?

One thing TDPUD said when PSOM was first discussed is that a red flag warning alone was not enough to trigger an outage. I'm sure NV Energy has a very technical algorithm. Or maybe they just spin a needle and see where it lands.

[powdork]

pink shaded area (WAY bigger than fire's imprint) closed until 12/31. this is the aforementioned winter closure I will not be observing




in fact, everything I did yesterday was in the outlawed zone.

[bodywhomper]

I think the red flag warning goes up closer to the event--like storm watch followed by storm warning in the winter.

What bodywhomper is talking about are microgrids. Truckee could potentially have several. Who pays for the generators? Who pays for the fuel? Can they get generators? I don't think Truckee is seriously thinking about those, just hoping to get through this season. Maybe in a year or two. A microgrid could service 2 grocery stores and a hospital and a hardware store to boot. Second one out by airport, town offices, raley's and another hardware store.

There is some concern about how long water and sewage can be pumped in a prolonged outage. Since there will be no internet cell phone service is expected to be overwhelmed so 911 calls may not get through. There doesn't seem to be a solution for this unless the carriers significantly upgrade capacity.

There was a prolonged outage last winter--unplanned, trees took out all 3 of NV Energies lines to Truckee and North Tahoe. Winter is a good time to have an outage if you have a stove and wood, because there's a refrigerator right out the door. The problem with all of these outages is that they have to inspect every bit of line before it can be re-energized. We were out 22 hours but we know people who were out longer waiting for lines to be checked. Helicopters, guys with binoculars. Drones?

One thing TDPUD said when PSOM was first discussed is that a red flag warning alone was not enough to trigger an outage. I'm sure NV Energy has a very technical algorithm. Or maybe they just spin a needle and see where it lands.

In western NV county, the generators, they’re on big trailers rigs at the substation, are imported by pge. I believe the customers who’s circuit is energized by the generators pay their standard fee as their meters are spinning. So the extra costs are absorbed.

Even with power via generator or micro grid, your cellular and internet service may still be fucked.

In grass valley, the large Safeway had a backup generator before PSPS events started. Maybe some of the flagship groceries in truckee and the Tahoe basin do, too? Same goes for some of the gas stations. Several other groceries and shopping centers now have large backup units in my area.

If people backfeed their homes with a generator without a proper transfer switch, please make sure you throw the main fuse to the house. You can sometimes tell if a neighbor is doing it wrong because you’ll get faint power, like a dim light, at your home. It’s really dangerous.

Line inspection is on foot, car, or heli. Drones probably are not allowed to do this yet. Pge upped their game last year with a fleet of helicopters at each airport waiting for the signal to start their inspections. It took longer (days) for the inspections to be completed via foot and car.

Last year, the inspections in my area resulted in a significant problem that occurred during the wind event. It took several days for that circuit to be repaired and those people were w/o power that much longer than other areas, but the “what if” seems to result in keeping people calmer and patient.

[TahoeJ]

Have to admit it - PowDork was right. That's a ridiculous closure extending until the end of the year. I mean, it's not like they're going to be working on repairing dozer lines in December when there's snow on the ground. Hopefully they'll revise it when it snows.

[old goat]

In western NV county, the generators, they’re on big trailers rigs at the substation, are imported by pge. I believe the customers who’s circuit is energized by the generators pay their standard fee as their meters are spinning. So the extra costs are absorbed.

Even with power via generator or micro grid, your cellular and internet service may still be fucked.

In grass valley, the large Safeway had a backup generator before PSPS events started. Maybe some of the flagship groceries in truckee and the Tahoe basin do, too? Same goes for some of the gas stations. Several other groceries and shopping centers now have large backup units in my area.

If people backfeed their homes with a generator without a proper transfer switch, please make sure you throw the main fuse to the house. You can sometimes tell if a neighbor is doing it wrong because you’ll get faint power, like a dim light, at your home. It’s really dangerous.

Line inspection is on foot, car, or heli. Drones probably are not allowed to do this yet. Pge upped their game last year with a fleet of helicopters at each airport waiting for the signal to start their inspections. It took longer (days) for the inspections to be completed via foot and car.

Last year, the inspections in my area resulted in a significant problem that occurred during the wind event. It took several days for that circuit to be repaired and those people were w/o power that much longer than other areas, but the “what if” seems to result in keeping people calmer and patient.

Thanks for the info. Based on previous outages the Safeway in Truckee has a small generator that can keep a few lights on, unless they've upgraded in the last few months. Truckee reportedly has one gas station with a generator.
Cell service is expected to be bad due to demand. Also cell towers have backup batteries; I haven't heard how long they're good for. I don't know if any have generators. Cells service is bad without power outages. Internet will be down, at least for now, even if you have a generator to power your router.
I think some resistance will come from the fact that east of the crest and down towards Reno we haven't had the megafires and AFAIK the fires we have had have not been caused by the power grid.
Right now, having not yet experienced a PSO I don't see the town or the PUD spending a lot of money on resilience infrastructure. We have one that goes on for many days and that may change.
As an old fart the inability to obtain 911 service concerns me. And Truckee has no way to inform people of an approaching wildfire and notify people of evacuations, except for smoke signals. Apparently Nevada Co doesn't have the system Plumas has that pushes alerts to cell phones using a different system than regular cell service. The system even bypasses the silent setting on cell phones and is very loud.

[mcski]

Have to admit it - PowDork was right. That's a ridiculous closure extending until the end of the year. I mean, it's not like they're going to be working on repairing dozer lines in December when there's snow on the ground. Hopefully they'll revise it when it snows.

Pretty big assumption that we will ever get any snow again

[mmmm...pow!]

Yo Dookey!!

[powdork]

Have to admit it - PowDork was right. That's a ridiculous closure extending until the end of the year. I mean, it's not like they're going to be working on repairing dozer lines in December when there's snow on the ground. Hopefully they'll revise it when it snows.

even a blind squirrel and all that. Here is the fire perimeter overlaid on the closure map

[John_B]

Our local FS fires typically have a widespread closure that is listed as Dec 31 post fire that gets tightened up a good bit once rehab is done and heavy equipment is off the roads. I am not familiar with where fire lines and contingency lines were on the Caldor Fire but I'd assume there were all sort of contingency lines and thinning operations along the south side of the fire.

I think the FS is clueless about the optics of the way they date the closures but will update in a month or so.

Edit: My experience is in WA so I could be full of it but hope not for the Tahoe locals.

[powdork]

There were no dozer lines put in along the southern perimeter according to the fire maps. Not until the perimeter turns due north in Fountainplace

[TahoeJ]

Pretty big assumption that we will ever get any snow again

If I hear about you cheering for extended MTB conditions again I may have to write you a strongly worded letter.

[mcski]

If I hear about you cheering for extended MTB conditions again I may have to write you a strongly worded letter.

You’re just still bitter about that digger you took last fall

[TahoeJ]

You’re just still bitter about that digger you took last fall

Fucking lower jackpine re-route. That was bullshit. You ride a trail a few hundred times and they do a re-route right at a GD tree. Broken ribs. I’ve been fat ever since.

[mcski]

Hahahaha. It should be riding nice this week. Hope I can get up there

[old goat]

I've got about 4 cases of hard seltzer in various flavors left over from a wedding, free to a good home.

[J. Barron DeJong]

I've got about 4 cases of hard seltzer in various flavors left over from a wedding, free to a good home.

Good homes don’t drink hard seltzer

[Mokomahonah]

Dibs

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[El Chupacabra]

Dibs

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Second dibs in case this falls through...

[old goat]

Good homes don’t drink hard seltzer

Why do you think I'm giving it away.