PG&E Blames Migratory Birds For Power Shutoffs In Senior Community
SOLANO COUNTY (CBS13) — Power surges and shutoffs have wreaked havoc for thousands of senior citizens in Rio Vista.
They want answers from PG&E about why the power goes in and out at random, some residents reported it happened twice within the last few days.
Doug Falt and Bob Coons have been monitoring dozens of angry comments from neighbors about the power situation on the Nextdoor app. They've been leading the charge against PG&E.
"Yesterday the power surged so many times that it knocked out the local telephone system," Falt said.
Coons added, "PG&E is supposed to provide the power. We pay them to provide the power."
The pair said this has been happening for years at the Trilogy senior living community. The complaints add up every day.
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"Of microwaves being burnt up, of refrigerators being burnt up, medical equipment being burnt up which is really the scary one," Coons.
Falt and Coons said during the PG&E power safety shutoffs last month, winds stronger than 60 miles per hour were blowing through their community but the power stayed on.
"Since then, the power has been going off like somebody is rocking a switch," Coons said.
CBS13 reached out to PG&E and were told they are aware of reliability issues in both Rio Vista and Isleton. The company points the blame at migratory birds who travel to the delta area and come into contact with power lines.
Falt and Coons call that an excuse by PG&E amid unwillingness to improve their grid.
"I don't buy that two days in a row the power can go out at 10 o'clock in the morning and have it be a coincidence," Falt said.