Some Customers Regain Power, Second Wave Of Outages Affect More Than 230K PG&E Customers
EL DORADO HILLS (CBS13) – The latest on PG&E's massive Public Safety Power Shutoff:
10:40 p.m.
In a press release, PG&E announced on Wednesday night that they have restored power to approximately 50,000 customers in the Sierra Foothills since the shutoff began.
The second phase of the Public Safety Power Shutoffs began Wednesday afternoon, impacting approximately 234,000 customers, including customers in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne Counties. The first wave of outages impacted around 513,000 customers early Wednesday.
Crews have started patrolling in Humboldt County, anticipating they will restore power to nearly 80,000 customers late Wednesday or early Thursday morning. PG&E said patrols only take place during daylight hours.
You can view current outages on the outage map.
10 p.m.
A PG&E representative said roughly 1,000 customers across their entire coverage area are going to have their power come back online Wednesday night. Some of those thousand customers already had their power restored. The spokesperson could not say where the specific areas are, only saying they have been determined safe to turn back on.
9:15 p.m.
PG&E launched a secondary website Wednesday evening for customers to access essential information.
The website, which can be found here, allows customers to look up their address to see if they're in the affected area, lists Community Resouce Centers and directs users back to their main website to check the outage map.
As of 9:15 p.m. Wednesday night, the outage map webpage was loading, but not showing any outages.
5:15 p.m.
PG&E spokesperson Brandi Merlo confirmed the second phase of the Public Safety Power Shutoff began around 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The second phase of shutoffs will impact parts of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne Counties.
12:55 p.m.
PG&E says they're delaying the second phase of their Public Safety Power Shutoff by several hours.
The second wave of power outages, this time affecting about 234,000 customers, was supposed to start around noon on Wednesday. Due to changes in the weather forecast, PG&E has pushed the power outage back a few hours.
Further, about 21,000 customers in Calaveras County and 800 in Mendocino County who were not part of the first phase will see their power cut during the second phase.
Earlier Wednesday morning, PG&E shut off power to 513,000 customers across Northern California. PG&E is telling residents that, if their county was part of the first phase of shutoffs but they still have power, then the Public Safety Power Shutoff will not affect them.
#PSPS: Early this morning, PG&E turned off power for safety to counties in phase one (approx. 500k customers). That phase is complete. If you still have power IN THESE COUNTIES (see graphic) you will not lose power due to a PSPS. pic.twitter.com/mzlVmdTXhk
— Pacific Gas & Electric (@PGE4Me) October 9, 2019
In total, nearly 800,000 PG&E customers could eventually see their power turned off.
Officials have given no exact time when power will be turned back on. However, people are being warned to prepare for a power outage lasting anywhere from 48 hours to five days.
7:07 a.m.
PG&E has started the first part of its Public Safety Power Shutoff.
Just after midnight, about 513,000 customers started to have their power cut.
LIST: School Closures Due To PG&E Power Shutoffs
The first phase is affecting PG&E customers in parts of Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba counties.
Around noon on Wednesday, the second part of PG&E's shutoff is expected to start. For this round, about 234,000 customers in Alameda, Alpine, Contra Costa, Mariposa, San Joaquin, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties will start to see outages.
PG&E has opened Community Resource Centers in multiple locations. The centers open at 8 a.m. and provide restrooms, bottled water, electronic device charging and air-conditioned seating.
— Dina Kupfer (@DinaKupfer) October 9, 2019
Here's the list of Resource Centers: https://t.co/DrCAvGWDvI@CBSSacramento @GoodDaySac
PG&E says they're also considering a third phase of power shutoffs that could affect about 42,000 in the utility company's southernmost service area. Exactly when and which locations could see outages in this phase is still being determined.
In total, if the third phase is implemented, about 789,000 PG&E customers could have their power cut.
Hot, dry and windy weather is prompting the shutoff over wildfire concerns.
PG&E says forecasts show the concerning weather is expected to last through midday Thursday.