Resolution No. 2021-034RESOLUTION NO. 2021-34
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VERNON
APPROVING A UTILITY SECURITY PLAN FOR VERNON PUBLIC
UTILITIES
SECTION 1. Recitals.
A. The City of Vernon (City) is a chartered municipal corporation of the State of
California that owns and operates a system for the generation, purchase, transmission,
distribution and sale of electric capacity and energy (Vernon Public Utilities or VPU).
B. As a municipal electric utility, VPU generally adheres to the legislative and
regulatory requirements applicable to local publicly owned electric utilities (POUs);
C. In 2014, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 699 (Stats. 2014, Ch. 550, Sec. 2),
with an effective date of September 25, 2014, amending California Public Utilities Code
Section 364, to require the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to consider
adopting rules to address the physical security risks to the distribution systems of
electrical corporations.
D. On January 10, 2019, the CPUC adopted Decision 19-01-018 directing all electric
corporations to develop and implement a plan that: (1) identifies distribution-level
substations that require greater protection against physical attacks; (2) assesses the risks
of a successful physical attack at any identified distribution-level substation and
determines whether existing mitigation measures effectively mitigate these risks; and (3)
identifies new security measures if any identified risks are not effectively mitigated.
E. VPU’s Utility Security Plan includes the following self-evaluation steps:
a. Identifies covered distribution facilities by analyzing all distribution-level
facilities within VPU’s service territory, and concludes that VPU owns and
operates two distribution facilities which constitute “Covered Distribution
Facilities”, as described in Decision 19-01-018;
b. Assesses the potential risks associated with a successful physical attack on
each covered facility and determines whether existing resiliency and/or
physical security measures appropriately mitigate identified risks; and
c. Develops mitigation plans for any individual covered facilities as needed, using
reasonable and cost-effective measures.
F. VPU’s Utility Security Plan also sets forth ongoing maintenance and training
practices that will ensure the physical safety of the identified facilities.
G. Each POU is required to have a qualified and independent third party review its
Utility Security Plan.
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H. VPU selected Archer Energy Solutions, LLC (Archer) to perform the third-party
review and VPU has incorporated the recommendations of Archer in the final version of
VPU’s Utility Security Plan.
I. VPU identified the Vernon Police Department (VPD) to serve as the qualified
authority for review of VPU’s Utility Security Plan and VPD validated the adequacy of the
Plan.
J. VPU’s Utility Security Plan is not appended to this Resolution in order to protect
the information contained therein from distribution to those who may threaten the very
security the Utility Security Plan seeks to protect.
K. With the completion of the Qualified Third-Party review and Validation, staff is
presenting VPU’s Utility Security Plan to Council for approval, and upon approval will
provide notice to the CPUC.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 2. The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby finds and determines
that the above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 3. The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby adopts the Utility
Security Plan for Vernon Public Utilities.
SECTION 4. The City Administrator, or his duly authorized designee, is hereby
authorized and directed to implement, administer, and carry out any such actions as are
necessary or advisable in the furtherance of the VPU Utility Security Plan.
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SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify the passage and adoption of this
resolution and enter it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 19th day of October, 2021.
_________________________
MELISSA YBARRA, Mayor
ATTEST:
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ZAYNAH N. MOUSSA,
Interim City Attorney
I CERTIFY THAT THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION NO. 2021-34 was passed and
adopted by the City Council of the City of Vernon at the Regular meeting on October 19_,
2021 by the following vote:
AYES: 5 Council Members: Larios, Lopez, Merlo, Davis, Ybarra
NOES: 0
ABSENT: 0
ABSTAIN: 0
________________________________
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)