On Election Night, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) announced that a public safety power shutoff could impact around 15,000 customers in a dozen California counties, including some in the Bay Area and Northern California. The shutoffs were scheduled to start as early as 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
PG&E stated that they have been collaborating with state and local election officials for over a month to make necessary preparations for the potential power outages. The Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center in Lake County was identified as the only polling location that could be affected, with the impact expected to begin around 9:30 p.m. on election night. PG&E assured that they are working to ensure there is a backup generator in place at that location.
Fortunately, no tabulation centers were within the scope of the potential outages. However, several counties were placed under a watch due to high winds and dry conditions. PG&E’s wind models indicated the possibility of 50 mph winds in the North and East Bay regions, with gusts potentially reaching 70 mph in certain areas like the Geysers, Mt. St. Helena, and Mt. Diablo. The humidity levels were forecasted to drop to 15-30%, further elevating the fire risk.
Customers who might be affected by the power shutoffs were contacted by PG&E on Sunday night to make necessary preparations. The impacted counties and the estimated number of customers include:
– Alameda – 449
– Butte – 292
– Colusa – 604
– Contra Costa – 940
– Lake – 1,111
– Napa – 3,601
– Plumas – 3
– Santa Clara – 918
– Santa Cruz – 225
– Solano – 3,591
– Sonoma – 1,202
– Stanislaus – 27
– Tehama – 1,075
– Yolo – 363
The safety of the customers and the community remains a top priority for PG&E amid these power shutoffs. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops.
