Posted by: thepinetree on 10/28/2019 08:09 AM
Updated by: thepinetree on 10/28/2019 08:09 AM
Expires: 01/01/2024 12:00 AM
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PG&E Expects to Issue Weather ‘All Clear’ for Safety Inspections and Restoration Work to Begin Early Monday Morning for Northern Sierras and North Coast
San Francisco, CA...Power Restored to 30,000 Customers by Sunday at 10 p.m. Safety Inspections and Restoration Work to continue at First Light. Contingent on Weather Conditions, Kern, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Tuolumne Counties Expected to be Shut Off Tonight. PG&E reported that the company issued a weather “all clear” for the Northern Sierras and North Coast communities within its service area currently impacted by the Saturday, Oct. 26, Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). By 10 p.m. on Sunday, more than 30,000 customers had their power restored.
Current restoration for Oct. 26 PSPS
As wind conditions improved this afternoon a weather “all clear” was issued for customers in Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, Northern Mendocino and portions of Lake County.
PG&E has begun safety patrols and inspections in the “all clear” in several counties before sundown, and will resume at first daylight on Monday, Oct. 28. PG&E will strive to inspect and restore power within 48 hours but given the significance of this high-wind event with gusts as high as 102 mph, the damage may be significant, requiring additional time and resources.
Top 10 wind speeds
102 mph — Pine Flat Road (Sonoma) on Oct. 27 at 8 a.m.
93 mph — Healdsburg Hills North (Sonoma) on Oct. 27 at 5:50 a.m.
87 mph — Mt. St. Helena West (Sonoma) on Oct. 27 at 7:40 a.m.
80 mph — Mt. St. Helena East (Sonoma) on Oct. 27 at 7:50 a.m.
76 mph — Hawkeye (Sonoma) on Oct. 27 at 5:56 a.m.
75 mph — Mt. Hood (Sonoma) on Oct. 27 at 7:30 a.m.
73 mph — Saddleback (Sierra) on Oct. 27 at 8:18 a.m.
71 mph — Ormsey Cutoff Trail (Santa Cruz) on Oct. 27 at 8:40 a.m.
70 mph — Jarbo Gap (Butte) on Oct. 27 at 12:13 p.m.
68 mph — Hell Hole (Placer) on Oct. 27 at 12:09 p.m.
PG&E will continue to monitor conditions for the remaining customers impacted by this historic safety shutoff in portions of counties including: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba.
Restoration process
More than 6,000 on-the-ground field personnel have been deployed and 45 helicopters are staged in the impacted areas. Helicopter inspections may be impacted by the Kincade firefighting efforts in Sonoma County.
PG&E has requested mutual aid of 1,000 workers from other energy companies and has secured the support of 129 mutual aid representatives from Florida Power and Light Company, Imperial Irrigation District, ATCO Electric, Puget Sound and Consumers Power Inc.
Additional widespread PSPS potential for Tuesday/Wednesday
PG&E is also closely following a potentially strong, widespread dry offshore wind event on Tuesday, Oct. 29, through midday Wednesday for Northern California, that is significant in scope and could impact approximately 35 counties across the Northern and Southern Sierra, North Bay, Bay Area and Santa Cruz mountains, North Coast and Kern County. Kern County is expected to experience these conditions from late Tuesday night, Oct. 29 through Thursday morning, Oct. 31.
PG&E will make every effort to restore power to as many customers as possible who are currently out of power due to the Oct. 26 PSPS. However, due to the dynamic and changing weather conditions, and high fire risk, some customers who are currently out of power may remain out throughout the duration of the next potential PSPS event.
For those customers able to have their power restored between events, PG&E urges them to use the opportunity to charge any medical equipment, phones and other electronic devices and restock emergency kits.
Some customers may continue to be impacted by the PSPS event, while others may experience power outages due to weather damage to the electric system.
PG&E will continue to monitor weather conditions and will be providing additional information regarding affected areas.
How customers can prepare
In addition, PG&E is asking customers to:
Update their contact information by calling 1-866-743-6589 or sign into their online account at pge.com. 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 their emergency kits 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 their families safe at PG&E’s Safety Action Center.
While customers in high fire-threat areas are more likely to be affected by a Public Safety Power Shutoff event, any of PG&E’s more than 5 million electric customers could have their power shut off because the energy system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties and regions.
Customer resources
PG&E will provide Community Resource Centers in key areas that may have continuing impacts due to the Oct. 26 PSPS event and the potential new event. These centers provide water, phone charging stations, air-conditioned seating for up to 100 people and restrooms. To view the current list, click here.
During the PSPS, customers in impacted areas will not be billed, and PG&E has paused disconnection and collection activities in these areas.
Customers can visit pge.com/pspsupdates for more information.
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