Approximately 850,000 PG&E customers notified they may be impacted beginning Saturday evening – Antioch included

Forecasts Indicate Potential for Historic Wind Event This Weekend

May Need to Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Portions of 36 Counties. Mutual Aid Request for 1,000 Personnel for Restoration Phase

10/25/19 7:34 PM UPDATE – According to Kristi Jourdan of PG&E’s Marketing & Communications, “The decision to proactively turn off power for safety has not yet been made – that is expected by 8 a.m. Saturday morning. We understand the impact turning off power for safety has on our customers, and we don’t take this action lightly.

If the decision is made to initiate a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), outages will begin approximately 7 p.m., Saturday in the Bay Area/Cost/S. Sierra Foothills regions. This includes Contra Costa County. We do our best to provide approximate timeframes to indicate when shutoffs are expected, but some areas may experience power outages before or after the expected shutoff times.

It’s important to note that as this weather system sweeps from north to south over a period of two days, PG&E customers across Northern and Central California will feel the effects of hot, dry winds at different times, which means outage times will vary as well. As this intense weather event approaches the service area in the next 24 hours, PG&E’s forecasts will offer sharper detail, noting that the scope may continue to change on the number of customers who will be affected.

Conditions can change quickly, so we ask that customers please stay prepared with their emergency plan. We will continue to monitor conditions and update customers by phone, text and email. You can also follow us on social media. The latest information and maps are at pge.com/pspsupdates.”

SAN FRANCISCO (Friday, October 25, 2019) – Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today said it continues to monitor a potentially powerful and widespread dry, hot and windy weather event expected to begin impacting the service area Saturday between 6 and 10 p.m. and lasting until midday Monday.

PG&E will need to turn off power for safety several hours before the potentially damaging winds arrive. It’s important to note that as this weather system sweeps from north to south over a period of two days, PG&E customers across Northern and Central California will feel the effects of hot, dry winds at different times, which means outage times will vary, as well.

The potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is expected to affect approximately 850,000 customers and may impact portions of 36 counties across portions of Humboldt, the Sierra foothills, Western Sacramento Valley, North Bay, and across the greater Bay area, Monterey Bay and northern Central Coast on Saturday, Oct. 26. Customers in the southern-most portion of PG&E’s service area in Kern County could have power shut off for safety on Sunday, Oct. 27.

Predictive data models indicate the weather event could be the most powerful in California in decades, with widespread dry Northeast winds between 45-60 miles per hour (mph) and peak gusts of 60-70 mph in the higher elevations.

Winds of this magnitude pose a higher risk of damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread. The fire risk is even higher because vegetation on the ground has been dried out by recent wind events.

Given the forecast and conditions, PG&E is advising its customers of the potential for a widespread PSPS lasting several days, intended to prevent a catastrophic wildfire. As this intense weather event approaches the service area in the next 24 hours, PG&E’s forecasts will offer sharper detail, noting that the scope may continue to change on the number of customers who will be affected.

Counties Potentially Impacted

County Customers Cities or unincorporated areas with some customers potentially impacted
Alameda Total: 57,360

Medical Baseline: 1,302

Albany, Berkeley, Canyon, Castro Valley

Dublin, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore

Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, Sunol

Alpine Total: 66

Medical Baseline: 0

Bear Valley
Amador Total: 19,909

Medical Baseline: 974

Amador City, Drytown, Fiddletown, Ione, Jackson, Martell, Pine Grove, Pioneer, Plymouth, River Pines, Sutter Creek, Volcano
Butte Total: 19,152

Medical Baseline: 1,398

Bangor, Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Butte Meadows, Chico, Clipper Mills, Cohasset, Feather Falls, Forbestown, Forest Ranch, Magalia, Oroville, Palermo, Paradise, Rackerby, Stirling City, Yankee Hill
Calaveras Total: 30,396

Medical Baseline: 1,370

Angels Camp, Arnold, Avery, Burson, Camp Connell, Campo Seco, Copperopolis, Dorrington, Douglas Flat, Glencoe, Hathaway Pines, Mokelumne Hill, Mountain Ranch, Murphys, Rail Road Flat, San Andreas, Sheep Ranch, Tamarack, Vallecito, Valley Springs, Wallace, West Point, White Pines, Wilseyville
Colusa Total: 64

Medical Baseline: 2

Arbuckle, Maxwell, Sites, Williams
Contra Costa Total: 48,824

Medical Baseline: 1,610

Alamo, Antioch, Brentwood, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Concord, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, Knightsen, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Port Costa, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Walnut Creek
El Dorado Total: 56,643

Medical Baseline: 2,774

Cameron Park, Camino, Cold Springs, Coloma, Cool, Diamond Springs, El Dorado Hills, Fair Play, Garden Valley, Georgetown

Greenwood, Grizzly Flats, Kelsey, Kyburz, Lotus, Mount Aukum, Pacific House, Pilot Hill, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Rescue, Shingle Springs, Somerset, Twin Bridges

Glenn

 

Total: 43

Medical Baseline: 2

Orland, Willows
Humboldt Total: 64,710

Medical Baseline: 2,057

Alderpoint, Alton, Arcata, Bayside, Blocksburg

Blue Lake, Bridgeville, Carlotta, Eureka, Fernbridge, Ferndale, Fieldbrook, Fields, Landing, Fortuna, Garberville, Honeydew, Hoopa, Hydesville, Kneeland, Korbel, Loleta

Manila, Mckinleyville, Miranda, Myers Flat, Orick, Orleans, Phillipsville, Redcrest, Rio Dell, Samoa, Scotia, Trinidad, Weitchpec, Weott, Willow Creek

Kern Total: 842

Medical Baseline: 27

Arvin, Bakersfield, Lebec, Grapevine
Lake Total: 37,441

Medical Baseline: 2,170

Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake Park, Cobb, Finley, Glenhaven, Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Loch Lomond, Lower Lake, Lucerne, Middletown, Nice, Upper Lake, Witter Springs
Marin Total: 86,813

Medical Baseline: 1,574

Belvedere, Bolinas, Corte Madera, Dillon Beach, Fairfax, Fallon, Forest Knolls, Greenbrae, Inverness, Kentfield, Lagunitas, Larkspur, Marshall, Mill Valley, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, Olema, Point Reyes Station, Ross, San Anselmo, San Geronimo, San Rafael, Sausalito, Stinson Beach, Tiburon, Tomales, Woodacre
Mariposa Total: 809

Medical Baseline: 42

Coulterville, Greeley Hill
Mendocino Total: 12,755

Medical Baseline: 408

Albion, Boonville, Branscomb, Cummings, Dos Rios, Elk, Gualala, Hopland, Laytonville, Leggett, Little River, Manchester, Philo, Piercy, Point Arena, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley, Ukiah, Westport, Willits, Yorkville
Monterey Total: 993

Medical Baseline: 49

Aromas, Salinas
Napa Total: 11,294

Medical Baseline: 248

Angwin, Calistoga, Deer Park, Lake Berryessa, Oakville, Pope Valley, Rutherford, St Helena, Yountville
Nevada Total: 43,211

Medical Baseline: 1,822

Chicago Park, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Norden, North San Juan, Penn Valley, Rough And Ready, Smartsville, Soda Springs, Washington
Placer Total: 31,277

Medical Baseline: 1,275

Alta, Applegate, Auburn, Baxter, Emigrant Gap, Foresthill, Gold Run, Granite Bay, Loomis, Meadow Vista, Newcastle, Penryn, Weimar
Plumas Total: 785

Medical Baseline: 6

Belden, La Porte, Quincy, Storrie, Twain
San Benito Total: 1,369

Medical Baseline: 39

Aromas, Hollister, San Juan Bautista
San Joaquin Total: 372

Medical Baseline: 5

Linden
San Mateo Total: 64,932

Medical Baseline: 1,293

Belmont, Burlingame, Daly City, El Granada, Emerald Hills, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, La Honda, Loma Mar, Montara, Moss Beach, Pacifica, Pescadero, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Gregorio, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Woodside, Unincorporated Communities in Southwest San Mateo County
Santa Clara Total: 27,093

Medical Baseline: 823

Coyote, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Redwood Estates, San Jose, San Martin
Santa Cruz Total: 44,945

Medical Baseline: 2,095

Aptos, Ben Lomond, Brookdale, Capitola, Corralitos, Felton, Freedom, La Selva Beach, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel
Shasta Total: 28,460

Medical Baseline: 1,663

Anderson, Bella Vista, Big Bend, Cottonwood, French Gulch, Igo, Lakehead, Millville, Montgomery Creek, Oak Run, Ono, Palo Cedro, Platina, Round Mountain, Shingletown, Whiskeytown, Whitmore
Sierra Total: 1,159

Medical Baseline: 14

Alleghany, Downieville, Goodyears Bar, Pike City, Sierra City
Siskiyou Total: 51

Medical Baseline: 0

Somes Bar
Solano Total: 10,232

Medical Baseline: 545

Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville, Vallejo
Sonoma Total: 92,877

Medical Baseline: 2,695

Annapolis, Bodega, Bodega Bay, Camp Meeker, Cazadero, Cloverdale, Cotati, Duncans Mills, Forestville, Freestone, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Graton, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Jenner, Kenwood, Larkfield, Monte Rio, Occidental, Penngrove, Petaluma, Rio Nido, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, Stewarts Point, Valley Ford, Villa Grande, Windsor
Stanislaus Total: 163

Medical Baseline: 2

Knights Ferry, Oakdale, Patterson, Westley
Tehama Total: 19,238

Medical Baseline: 1,218

Corning, Flournoy, Gerber, Los Molinos, Manton, Mill Creek, Mineral, Paskenta, Paynes Creek, Proberta, Red Bluff, Vina
Trinity Total: 1,046

Medical Baseline: 39

Del Loma, Hawkins Bar
Tuolumne Total: 29,454

Medical Baseline: 1,476

Big Oak Flat, Chinese Camp, Columbia, Groveland, Jamestown, Long Barn, Mi Wuk Village, Pinecrest, Sonora, Soulsbyville, Strawberry, Twain Harte
Yolo Total: 530

Medical Baseline: 15

Brooks, Capay, Esparto, Guinda, Rumsey, Winters
Yuba Total: 5,502

Medical Baseline: 313

Browns Valley, Camptonville, Dobbins, Loma Rica, Oregon House, Strawberry Valley, Wheatland

 Shutoffs Could be Widespread and Extended

As experienced earlier in October, portions of most counties in PG&E’s 70,000-square-mile service area could be temporarily de-energized, potentially including all Tier 2 and Tier 3 fire risk regions. Customers can view the fire threat maps on the California Public Utilities Commission website to know whether they live in one of these high fire-risk regions.

Customers should prepare for a shutoff lasting 48 hours or longer, given the long duration of the wind event. Power cannot be restored until the dangerous weather has passed, safety inspections of de-energized lines are complete, and damage to the system has been repaired.

“We understand that a longer shutoff would be very difficult for our customers. We are already working to minimize the length, including amassing a force of field personnel from PG&E, plus contractors and other utility companies, to be ready to tackle the inspection, repair and restoration process as soon as the weather passes,” said PG&E Corporation CEO and President Bill Johnson.

Customer Notifications

The company provides direct notifications to affected customers who have given their contact information to PG&E 48 hours in advance of the potential shutoff, and again at 24 hours and four hours before shutoff.

PG&E has not determined whether to move forward with a shutoff, but will continue to monitor weather conditions and provide more definitive information on the potential timing and scale of shutoffs as weather models are updated.

Forecasts and Criteria for Shutoff

“The upcoming wind event has the potential to be one of the strongest in the last several years. It’s also likely to be longer than recent wind events, which have lasted about 12 hours or less,” said Scott Strenfel, Principal Meteorologist with PG&E.

PG&E’s meteorology team is part of a group of fire weather experts and data scientists at the company who work closely with the National Weather Service and the National Interagency Fire Center’s (NIFC) Geographic Area Coordination Center.

The company carefully reviews a combination of many criteria before taking steps to shut off power for safety, including but not limited to:

  • Low humidity levels, generally 20 percent and below.
  • Forecasted sustained winds generally above 25 mph and wind gusts in excess of approximately 45 mph, depending on location and site-specific conditions such as temperature, terrain, vegetation and local climate.
  • Moisture content: Condition of dry fuel on the ground and live vegetation (dead and live fuel moistures).
  • On-the-ground, real-time observations from PG&E’s Wildfire Safety Operations Center and field crews.
  • A Red Flag Warning declared by the National Weather Service.
  • Information from the NIFC and National Weather Service, including high risk days and locations considered “critical burn environments.”

Working to Minimize the Shutoffs

To help speed inspections and repairs, the company has requested mutual aid of 1,000 workers from other energy companies, including ATCO Energy in Alberta, Xcel Energy in Minnesota and Florida Power & Light. These crews are expected to be staged and briefed on the restoration plan by Sunday evening. If weather progresses as expected, restoration could begin in some portions of the affected area as early as Monday afternoon.

The company and its mutual aid partners will prioritize areas that can be safety restored to bring the maximum number of customers back online as quickly as possible.

PG&E is also working to minimize customer impact wherever possible through a combination of sectionalizing the grid and providing emergency backup power generation resources that will be able to quickly re-energize customers in portions of some cities.

How Customers Can Prepare

As part of PSPS preparedness efforts, PG&E is asking customers to:

  • Update their contact information by calling 1-866-743-6589 during normal business hours. PG&E will use this information to alert customers through automated calls, texts, and emails, when possible, prior to, and during, a Public Safety Power Shutoff.
  • 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.

To support customers in the affected areas, PG&E will open Community Resource Centers which provide restrooms, bottled water, electronic device charging and air-conditioned seating. Mobile resource stations (vans), when available, will provide bottled water, phone-charging and latest information for customers. PG&E is working with counties and cities on locations and will provide the list including operating hours prior to initiating the PSPS.

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.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

 


One Comment to “Approximately 850,000 PG&E customers notified they may be impacted beginning Saturday evening – Antioch included”

  1. Fernando Navarro says:

    Welcome to Demoncat, Grewsome Newsome, Cali!
    were the screws have been tightened to the nth degree!

    Gas prices are off the charts ON PURPOSE! (by unexplained planned refinery shutdowns…and excessive taxes to pay lotto pension unfunded liabilities)

    Toll prices are off the charts (by stilted election mumbo jumbo to confuse the pot headed liberals and pay lotto pensions and unfunded liabilities)

    water bills are off the charts! (to pay for lotto pensions and unfunded liabilities)

    PG&E prices Are off the charts! ( NOT TO PAY FOR MAINTENANCE OR REPAIRS but to pay lotto pensions and unfunded liabilities …oh and all those deaths and lawsuits)

    PROP 13 is now in the cross-hairs of these lotto pensioneer wanna be’s and government school administrators

    ARE YOU SEEING A PATTERN?

    The public servant has subverted US, the masters and made US. the taxpayers ..THE SLAVES!

    This is what is called a frog in slowly boiling water!!

    Back in 2012 San Fransisco was feeling its oats and proposed a toll to enter the city from the south bay on 101 and 280. THE OUTRAGE WAS DEVASTATING. The next day the axed the idea and spun it to say it was just a trial balloon!

    https://www.mercurynews.com/2010/12/12/peninsula-threatens-toll-in-response-to-san-francisco/

    THE MORAL OF THE STORY BOYS N GHOULS IS THAT IF YOU DONT TWITCH..GROWL..STAND UP OR PUSH BACK. These money-hungry ‘public servants’ will run all over you!

    TIME FOR THE PITCH FORKS AND TORCHERS.

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