Power Shutoffs Also Expected to Impact about 1,000 Customers in San Mateo and Kern Counties around 1:00 a.m. Thursday

PG&E’s Emergency Operations Center is Monitoring an Additional Dry, Offshore Wind Event this Weekend

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) confirmed today that it has implemented a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in 15 counties in the Sierra Foothills and North Bay—Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba—impacting about 178,000 customers in those areas.

Power shutoffs are planned for portions of San Mateo County, affecting about 1,000 customers, and Kern County, affecting about 30 customers, and are expected to begin around 1:00 a.m. Thursday.

In total, the current PSPS is expected to impact approximately 179,000 customers in 17 counties. It is possible that additional customers not impacted by PSPS may experience power outages due to PG&E equipment damaged during the wind event; those customers will not be notified in advance. For a list of impacted customer counts and cities per county, see www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

Customer Notifications

PG&E notified potentially impacted customers via automated calls, texts and emails—for those customers who’ve provided their contact information:

• Monday, October 21 (48 hours prior);
• Tuesday, October 22 (24 hours prior); and
• Again today (0 to 4 hours prior).

Reasons for a PSPS

The sole intent of a PSPS is to prevent a catastrophic wildfire sparked by electrical equipment during extreme weather events. This PSPS decision was based on forecasts of dry, hot and windy weather, which poses a higher risk for damage and sparks on the electric system as well as rapid wildfire spread.

It is 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.

All-Clear, Safety Inspections and Restoration

Forecasts indicate the peak period of winds should end about noon Thursday in the Sierra Foothills, North Bay and San Mateo County, and around noon Friday in Kern County.

Once the high winds subside, PG&E crews will inspect the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the wind event. PG&E will then safely restore power in stages as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring the vast majority of customers within 48 hours after the weather has passed.

In the area impacted by the PSPS, PG&E will need to conduct safety inspections of more than 8,000 miles of distribution lines and nearly 650 miles of transmission lines—the combined equivalent distance of two roundtrips from Chico to Chicago. Resources standing by to support the inspections and restoration include nearly 6,000 on-the-ground field personnel and 42 helicopters.

“The safety of our customers and the communities we serve is our most important responsibility, which is why PG&E has decided to turn power off to customers during this severe wind event. We understand the effects this event will have on our customers and appreciate the public’s patience as we do what is necessary to keep our communities safe and reduce the risk of wildfire,” said Michael Lewis, PG&E’s senior vice president of Electric Operations.

Monitoring and Preparing for Potential PSPS This Weekend

PG&E is also monitoring and preparing for an additional wind event starting Saturday, October 26, which may require further shutoffs. Early forecasts show that this has the potential to be widespread across PG&E’s service area in Northern and Central California with significant winds.

PG&E encourages customers currently without power to recharge phones and devices and restock emergency kits during periods of restored power. PG&E will provide more information about this potential event as it has a clearer view of the weather.

Current Community Resource Centers

To support customers in the affected areas, PG&E will open several Community Resource Centers. 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. View the most updated list of center locations at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

The following centers are scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Thursday and stay open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the remainder of the shutoff:

Generator safety

• Backup electric generators can be a part of any preparedness plan, but they can also pose unique safety hazards.
• It’s important to understand how to safely operate your generator before an emergency occurs. This means doing regular safety checks and being sure you have enough fuel to last a few days. If you don’t understand how to use your generator, you risk damaging your property, endangering your life and endangering the lives of others.
• Position your generator where its exhaust can vent safely to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal. Never run a portable generator in the garage or in the rain, and never store generator fuel in the house.
• Additional tips on the safe use of generators can be found at PG&E’s Safety Action Center at 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.

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MEDIA RELATIONS:
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Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company