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Customers Notified That High Winds and Dry Conditions on Wednesday May Prompt PG&E to Call a Public Safety Power Shutoff

November 19, 2019

303,000 Customers in Portions of 25 Counties Notified;

 Portions of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties Added  

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Customers in portions of 25 counties have been notified by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) about a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) starting Wednesday morning. Worsening dry conditions and expected high wind gusts pose an increased risk for damage and sparks on the electric system that have the potential to ignite fires in areas with dry vegetation.

High fire-risk conditions are expected to begin early Wednesday morning and continue into Thursday. High winds are currently expected to subside Thursday mid-morning. PG&E will then inspect the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the wind event. PG&E will safely restore power in stages as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring most customers by end of day Thursday, based on the current weather conditions.

This afternoon, about 39,000 customers in portions of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo were notified that they might also be impacted by a PSPS – in addition to the 264,000 customers notified earlier today. The additional notifications were based on the changing weather forecast.

While there is considerable uncertainty regarding the strength, timing and humidity levels associated with this weather system, the shutoff is currently expected to impact approximately 303,000 customers in 25 counties:

 

County

 

Customers

 

Medical Baseline

Cities or unincorporated areas with some customers potentially impacted

Alameda

12,200

330

Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro

Amador

2,690

90

Amador City, Drytown, Fiddletown, Plymouth, River Pines, Sutter Creek

Butte

14,110

940

Bangor, Berry Creek, Butte Meadows, Chico, Clipper Mills, Cohasset, Forbestown, Forest Ranch, Magalia, Oroville, Paradise, Stirling City

Colusa

20

1

Arbuckle, Williams

Contra Costa

23,230

740

Canyon, El Sobrante, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pinole, Pleasant Hill, Richmond

El Dorado

38,570

1,880

Camino, Coloma, Cool, Diamond Springs, El Dorado, El Dorado Hills, Garden Valley, Georgetown, Greenwood, Grizzly Flats, Kelsey, Kyburz, Lotus, Mount Ankum, Pacific House, Pilot Hill, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Rescue, Shingle Springs, Somerset, Twin Bridges

Glenn

230

9

Elk Creek

Lake

13,370

2,010

Clearlake, Cobb, Finley, Hidden Valley Lake, Hopland, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Loch Lomond, Lower Lake, Middletown

Marin

23,440

590

Bolinas, Fairfax, Forest Knolls, Inverness, Lagunitas, Marshall, Mill Valley, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, Olema, Point Reyes Station, San Anselmo, San Geronimo, San Rafael, Stinson Beach, Woodacre

Mendocino

3,080

90

Gualala, Hopland

Napa

11,180

250

Angwin, Calistoga, Deer Park, Lake Berryessa, Napa, Oakville, Pope Valley, Rutherford, Yountville

Nevada

30,030

1,180

Emigrant Gap, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Norden, North San Juan, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready, Soda Springs, Washington

Placer

12,440

500

Alta, Applegate, Auburn, Baxter, Colfax, Dutch Flat, Emigrant Gap, Foresthill, Gold Run, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Meadow Vista, Weimar

Plumas

780

5

Belden, La Porte, Quincy, Story

San Mateo

70

1

Pescadero, unincorporated areas

Santa Clara

2,978

70

Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Redwood Estates

Santa Cruz

36,164

1,833

Aptos, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Capitola, Davenport, Felton, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel, Watsonville

Shasta

21,720

1,340

Anderson, Bella Vista, Big Bend, Cottonwood, French Gulch, Igo, Lakehead, Manton, Millville, Montgomery Creek, Oak Run, Palo Cedro, Platina, Round Mountain, Shasta, Shingletown, Whitmore

Sierra

1,160

10

Alleghany, Downieville, Goodyears Bar, North San Juan, Sierra City

Solano

1,970

350

Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville

Sonoma

39,940

1,200

Annapolis, Bodega, Bodega Bay, Calistoga, Cazadero, Cloverdale, Duncans Mills, Forestville, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Jenner, Kenwood, Monte Rio, Penngrove, Rio Nido, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Sea Ranch, Stewarts Point, Villa Grande, Windsor

Tehama

9,530

640

Cottonwood, Flournoy, Manton, Mill Creek, Mineral, Paskenta, Paynes Creek, Red Bluff

Trinity

50

2

Unincorporated areas of Trinity

Yolo

400

7

Brooks, Guinda, Rumsey

Yuba

3,940

20

Bangor, Browns Valley, Brownsville, Camptonville, Challenge, Dobbins, Forbestown, Marysville, Oregon House, Rackerby, Strawberry Valley

Customers can use an online address lookup tool to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

Timeline for safety shutoffs

If PG&E calls the PSPS, the shutoffs will take place in phases beginning Wednesday morning through early afternoon, based on local weather conditions.

Customer notifications and impact

The company began notifying potentially impacted customers this morning (48 hours prior) and will notify them again 24 hours and four hours prior. Customers who have provided their contact information to PG&E were notified by phone, text and email.

It's important to remember that customers not impacted by the PSPS may experience power outages due to PG&E equipment damaged during this wind event; those customers will not be notified in advance.

It is also very possible that customers may be affected by a power shutoff even though they are not experiencing extreme weather conditions in their specific location. This is because the electric system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties and regions.

Community Resource Centers

To support customers in the affected areas, PG&E will open several Community Resource Centers (CRCs). Restrooms, bottled water, electronic-device charging and air-conditioned seating for up to 100 will be available at these facilities. Locations are below, and more are being confirmed. The locations of CRCs will be available at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

The following services will be provided at our Community Resource Centers:

  • Snacks (non-perishable)
  • Ice
  • Blankets (upon request)
  • Heater
  • Restroom facilities
  • Charging stations

How Customers Can Prepare

PG&E is asking customers to:

  • Plan for medical needs like medications that require refrigeration or devices that need power.
  • Identify backup charging methods for phones and keep hard copies of emergency numbers.
  • Build or restock your emergency kit with flashlights, fresh batteries, first aid supplies and cash.
  • Keep in mind family members who are elderly, younger children and pets.
  • Learn more about wildfire risk and what to do before, during and after an emergency to keep your family safe at PG&E’s Safety Action Center http://www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com/.

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 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com and www.pge.com/news.

MEDIA RELATIONS:
415-973-5930

Source: PG&E

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