Approaching wind event, some Plumas power cuts possible

Meteorologists from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) are monitoring a potential weather system that could bring dry and gusty winds offshore to parts of the northern, central and southern regions of the company’s service area starting Monday. morning.

Given this offshore wind event, combined with extreme to exceptional drought and extremely dry vegetation, PG&E is sending two-day advance notifications to approximately 44,000 customers in targeted parts of 32 counties and seven tribes where PG&E may have need to implement a public safety power outage (PSPS) to reduce the risk of forest fires from energized power lines. Many counties will only have small portions of expected outages, some less than 100 customers.

Despite the potential for rain in some areas this weekend, PG&E is advising customers of the possible PSPS in case rain does not materialize or forecasted wind speeds still pose a forest fire hazard. Potential closures could begin Monday morning in parts of the North Valley, Sacramento and the San Joaquin foothills. Potential closures for the northern Sierra Foothills, North Bay, North Coast areas, Bay Area Hills and Central Valley could begin Monday evening, depending on the timing of the wind event.

PG&E activated its emergency operations center on Friday to deal with this meteorological event.

Customer notifications by text, email and automated phone call began on Saturday, about two days before the potential shutdown. Customers can also search for their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for potential safety shutdown at pge.com/pspsupdates.

During a PSPS, PG&E provides support to clients by opening community resource centers with snacks, water and other essentials, partnering with community organizations to help clients with needs. medical and independent living; and continue to inform our customers about the state of the food restoration.

Potentially affected counties

Potential county closures starting Monday morning:

• Alameda: 134 clients, 10 Medical Baseline clients
• Butte: 769 clients, 69 Medical Baseline clients
• Calaveras: 2,536 clients, 188 medical referrals
• Coluse: 566 clients, 39 Medical Baseline clients
• Against Coast: 601 clients, 40 Medical Baseline clients
• The walleye: 303 clients, 20 Medical Baseline clients
• Fresno: 5,008 clients, 436 Medical Baseline clients
• Glenn: 377 clients, 22 Medical Baseline clients
• Kern: 7 clients, 0 Medical Baseline clients
• Kings: 10 clients, 0 Medical Baseline clients
• Lake: 4,094 clients, 307 Medical Baseline clients
• Drink: 2,884 clients, 225 Medical Baseline clients
• Mariposa: 778 clients, 73 Medical Baseline clients
• Merced: 20 clients, 0 Medical Baseline clients
• Monterey: 845 clients, 27 Medical Baseline clients
• Napa: 2,207 clients, 107 Medical Baseline clients
• Nevada: 3 clients, 0 Medical Baseline clients
• Placer: 5,975 clients, 388 Medical Baseline clients
• Pens: 309 clients, 4 Medical Baseline clients
• San Benito: 84 clients, 2 Medical Baseline clients
• Saint Joaquin: 2 clients, 0 Medical Baseline clients
• Bishop of San Luis: 205 clients, 2 Medical Baseline clients
• Santa Barbara:19 clients, 1 Medical Baseline client
• Shasta: 2,557 clients, 197 Medical Baseline clients
• Sierra: 2 clients, 0 Medical Baseline clients
• Solano: 4,559 clients, 423 Medical Baseline clients
• Sonoma: 87 clients, 1 Medical Baseline client
• Stanislas : 145 clients, 5 Medical Baseline clients
• Tehama: 6,148 clients, 624 Medical Baseline clients
• Tuolumne: 673 clients, 68 Medical Baseline clients
• Yolo: 515 clients, 16 Medical Baseline clients
• Youba: 1,226 clients, 114 Medical Baseline clients

Potentially affected tribal areas:

• Big Sandy Rancheria: 61 clients
• Cold Springs Rancheria of the Mono Indians: 54 clients
• Cortina Rancheria: 8 clients
• Grindstone rancheria: 50 clients
• Rancheria North Fork: 25 clients
• Pit River Tribes: 8 clients
• Auburn United Indian Community: 1 client

If customers enrolled in the company’s program Basic medical program do not verify that they have received these important safety communications, PG&E employees will conduct individual in-person visits when possible with a focus on customers who depend on electricity for essential maintenance equipment. life.

With the potential PSPS in two days, conditions may change. PG&E internal meteorologists, along with its Forest Fire Safety Operations Center and Emergency Operations Center, continue to closely monitor conditions. PG&E will share additional customer notifications as conditions change.

Public Safety Power Outages: What PG&E Customers Need to Know

Why PG&E calls a PSPS outage

PG&E launches PSPS when weather forecasts predict such severe weather conditions that the safety of people, lives, homes and businesses can be threatened by forest fires.

Because every weather situation is unique, PG&E carefully considers a combination of factors to decide whether the power should be removed. These factors include:

• Low humidity levels, typically 30% and less.
• A forecast of high winds, particularly sustained winds greater than 20 miles per hour and wind gusts greater than 30-40 miles per hour.
• Condition of dry materials on the ground and low moisture content of vegetation.
• A red flag warning declared by the National Weather Service.
• Real-time ground observations from our forest fire safety operations center and our teams working throughout the service territory.

Starting this year, PG&E decision-making takes into account the presence of trees tall enough to strike power lines to determine if a PSPS is required. Every wildfire season is different, and the ongoing drought and dry conditions will determine how many times PG&E will have to shut off power without compromising safety. We will always do our best to share what we know about the weather and our equipment as soon as possible, keeping in mind that weather conditions can be uncertain.