SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
As the 2018 fire season gets into full swing in California, Pacific Gas
and Electric Company (PG&E) is reaching out to customers who live in or
near high fire-threat areas to let them know that, if extreme fire
danger conditions occur, it may be necessary for PG&E to temporarily
turn off power to their neighborhood or community for safety.
Proactively turning off power for public safety is one part of PG&E’s Community
Wildfire Safety Program, which implements additional precautionary
measures intended to reduce wildfire threats and strengthen communities
for the future. PG&E would only turn off power in the interest of public
safety and as a last resort during extreme weather conditions.
“PG&E has a plan to deal with the growing threat of extreme weather and
wildfires that our state has been experiencing,” said Kevin Dasso, PG&E
vice president of Electric Asset Management. “We want our customers to
have plans, too. That is why we are reaching out now to help our
customers and communities take steps to prepare for wildfire season and
possible power outages in the name of public safety.”
Wildfire Safety Operations Center: Monitoring of Fire Danger
Conditions
PG&E’s new Wildfire Safety Operations Center will monitor conditions
across the company’s service area during wildfire season. While no
single factor will drive a Public Safety Power Shutoff, some of the many
factors that will inform the decision include: strong winds, very low
humidity levels, and critically dry vegetation that could serve as fuel
for a wildfire. PG&E will also consider on-the-ground, real-time
observations from field crews, among other factors.
If PG&E needs to turn off power for safety, it will be limited to
neighborhoods or communities served by electric lines that run through
areas experiencing extreme fire danger conditions. PG&E will turn the
power back on as soon as it is safe to do so. The most likely electric
lines to be considered for shutting off for safety will be those in
areas that have been designated by the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC) as at extreme risk for wildfire (Tier 3 areas), based
on the CPUC’s latest High
Fire-Threat District map.
When and where possible, PG&E will provide early warning notification as
well as updates until power is restored. Extreme weather threats can
change quickly. If conditions allow, PG&E will provide notice to
customers between one hour to 48 hours in advance through automated
phone calls, texts and emails.
For planning purposes, PG&E suggests customers served by electric lines
in extreme fire-threat areas consider their service may need to be
turned off 1-2 times during wildfire season, although it is impossible
to predict future weather conditions in the “new normal” of extreme
weather events. While in most cases PG&E would expect to be able to
restore power within 24 hours after the extreme weather has passed and
inspections have begun, outages could last multiple days depending on
conditions.
Preparing for Outages
PG&E is working together with customers, local municipalities, first
responders and other stakeholders to share information and help
communities prepare for and stay safe during extreme weather events. As
part of this commitment to public safety, PG&E is mailing letters and
sending emails to more than 570,000 homes and businesses served by
electric lines in extreme fire-threat areas informing them that it may
be necessary for PG&E to temporarily turn off electricity.
As part of these preparedness efforts, PG&E is asking customers to:
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Learn whether their home or business is in or near a high
fire-threat area on the CPUC High
Fire-Threat District map. Customers also can visit pge.com/wildfiresafety
to enter their address and find out if their home or business is
served by an electric line that may be turned off for safety during
high wildfire threats.
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Update their contact information at pge.com/mywildfirealerts
or by calling 1-866-743-6589 during normal business hours. PG&E will
use this information to alert customers in advance of turning off
their electric service for safety, when and where possible.
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Prepare for and practice an emergency plan to keep themselves,
their families and/or employees emergency-ready and safe during an
outage. Information and tips including a safety plan checklist are
available at pge.com/wildfiresafety.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San
Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of
the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and pge.com/news.
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Media Relations, 415-973-5930
Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company