Potential Midweek PSPS Event

Forecasted High Winds and Dry Conditions Mean PG&E May Need to Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Targeted Portions of 21 Counties on Wednesday

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has notified customers in targeted portions of 21 counties about a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) as early as Wednesday afternoon. Hot and dry conditions combined with expected high wind gusts pose an increased risk for damage to the electric system that has the potential to ignite fires in areas with dry vegetation.

High fire-risk conditions are expected to arrive Wednesday evening. High winds are currently expected to subside Thursday morning in some locations and Friday morning in other locations. 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 as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring most customers within 12 daylight hours, based on current weather conditions.

While there is still uncertainty regarding the strength and timing of this weather wind event, the shutoff is forecasted to affect approximately 50,000 customers in targeted portions of 21 counties, including Alameda, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Lake, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba.

The highest probability areas for this PSPS are the Northern Sierra Nevada foothills; the mid and higher elevations in the Sierra generally north of Yosemite; the North Bay mountains near Mt. St. Helena; small pockets in the East Bay near Mt. Diablo; the Oakland Hills east of Piedmont; the elevated terrain east of Milpitas around the Calaveras Reservoir; and portions of the Santa Cruz and Big Sur mountains. This is not expected to be a widespread event in the Bay Area at this time.

Potential Public Safety Power Shutoff: What People Should Know

The potential PSPS event is still two days away. PG&E in-house meteorologists as well as staff in its Wildfire Safety Operation Center and Emergency Operation Center will continue to monitor conditions closely, and additional customer notifications will be issued as we move closer to the potential event.

Customer notifications—via text, email and automated phone call—began late this afternoon, approximately two days prior to the potential shutoff. Customers enrolled in the company’s Medical Baseline program who do not verify that they have received these important safety communications will be individually visited by a PG&E employee with a knock on their door when possible. A primary focus will be given to customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.