PG&E Improves the PSPS Experience with Automation, Personalization

PG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program was established in 2018 following the 2017-2018 wildfires that impacted California. Initially, the utility’s notifications were broad in scope and contained very little detail. Internally, the process of sending the notifications was time-consuming, taking upwards of eight hours to execute, and required extensive staff hours and multiple hand-offs to execute, increasing the possibility of human error. To improve the customer experience and better enable customers to prepare and execute their emergency plan before power is shut off, PG&E incorporated feedback from customers, employees and the California Public Utilities Commission to overhaul the notification process and messages.

During this session, attendees will learn how PG&E achieved the following results:

-A 42% decrease in message cycle time, allowing the utility to get notifications out to customers more quickly.

-Improved messaging on estimated shut off times and ETOR.

-Significant shortening of the notification file preparation process.

-The creation of more concise and personalized messages.

-An increase in customer satisfaction related to PSPS communications.

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Speaker: Andrea Tau, Principal Public Safety Power Shutoff Event Communications Specialist, PG&E

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