PG&E warns of power shutoffs in California due to fire conditions

OAKLAND, Calif. — With another heat wave expected this weekend, about 16,000 Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) customers in California’s Central Valley may lose power Saturday in a possible public safety power shutoff (PSPS) to prevent wildfires.

PG&E notified customers in seven counties Friday that they may proactively cut electricity to  homes and businesses after its forecasters predicted high winds and dry conditions.

Here’s a list of counties that will likely be affected by the PSPS:

• Alameda: 163 customers
• Contra Costa: 328 customers
• Fresno: 3 customers
• Merced: 3,979 customers
• San Benito: 193 customers
• San Joaquin: 6,352 customers
• Stanislaus: 5,028 customers

PG&E has sent customers an advanced notice through text messages, emails and automated phone calls.

The potential public safety power shutoff is expected to start at 11 a.m. Customers can check updates and find out if their area is being monitored for the shutoff.

“PG&E’s in-house meteorologists, as well as its Emergency Operations Center and its Hazard Awareness & Warning Center (HAWC), continue to closely monitor conditions,” PG&E said in a statement. “We will share additional customer notifications as conditions evolve.”

What PG&E customers should know

PG&E initiates PSPS when the fire-weather forecast is severe enough that people’s safety, lives, homes and businesses may be in danger of wildfires.

The utility company’s overarching goal is to stop catastrophic wildfires by proactively turning off power when extreme weather threatens the electric grid.

“We recognize that PSPS outages create hardships for our customers and communities. Our sole focus is to keep our customers safe,” PG&E said.

“As each weather situation is unique, we carefully review a combination of factors when deciding if power must be turned off.”

These factors include but are not limited to:

• Low humidity levels, generally 30 and below.
• A forecast of high winds, particularly sustained winds above 19 miles per hour and wind
gusts above 30-40 miles per hour.
• Condition of dry material on the ground and low moisture content of vegetation.
• A red flag warning declared by the National Weather Service.
• Real-time ground observations from crews working across the service area.