PG&E power shutoff initiated
Utility company hit the switch on 5,500 Yuba County residents
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. confirmed Wednesday morning that it planned to proceed with a power shutoff expected to impact approximately 179,000 customers in 17 counties across the state.
They planned on shutting power off in Yuba County early Wednesday afternoon, impacting 5,500 customers in the foothill communities in all or portions of Browns Valley, Brownsville, Camptonville, Challenge, Dobbins, Loma Rica, Oregon House, Rackerby, Smartsville, Strawberry Valley and Wheatland, said PG&E spokesperson Paul Moreno on Wednesday afternoon.
According to PG&E, the decision to move forward with the shutoff was based on forecasts of dry, hot and windy weather that
posed a higher risk for damage and sparks on the electric system and rapid wildfire spread.
The National Weather Service predicted critical fire weather conditions beginning Wednesday morning and continuing into this afternoon for much of the Sierra Nevada foothills, Sacramento Valley and the North Bay.
“A strong north wind event is forecast (Wednesday) through Thursday with extremely low humidities and poor overnight recoveries, creating critical fire weather conditions,” read a release from the National Weather Service. “A Red Flag Warning is in effect through Thursday afternoon.”
PG&E officials said the utility will inspect the deenergized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the wind event before restoring power.
“We expect to begin patrolling power lines after the weather conditions have passed, now expected to be Thursday, and begin to restore customers in steps,” said Moreno.
A Community Resource Center was to be set up at the Alcouffe Center, located at 9187 Marysville
Road, to provide restrooms, bottled water, electric-device charging, air conditioning and seating for up to 100 people during the shutoff. The center will open at 8 a.m. today and will remain open daily from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. for the duration of the shutoff.
“Every time we do a (shutoff), we take the experience and lessons learned and apply them to the next event,” said Moreno. “We aim to reduce the freqenhanced fire weather conditions.