PGE weekend power shutoff update

Power will be turned off for an estimated 940,000 Pacific Gas & Electric Co. customers in 36 counties across the state after the utility confirmed Saturday morning that it will implement a power shutoff due to weather forecasts indicating potential for a historic wind event this weekend.

This announcement included an additional 90,000 residents from previous estimates announced on Friday.

According to PG&E, the shutoff will occur in seven phases, depending on local timing of the severe wind conditions. The first phase is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. today (Saturday) and will impact customers in the following counties: Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Joaquin, Sierra, Shasta, Tehama and Yuba.

Approximately 5,502 residents within the areas in and around Browns Valley, Camptonville, Dobbins, Loma Rica, Oregon House, Strawberry Valley and Wheatland in Yuba County will be impacted.

An estimated 64 residents in Colusa County in and around the areas of Arbuckle, Maxwell, Sites, Williams are also expected to be affected.

A Community Resource Center will 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 be open at 8 a.m. on Saturday and will remain open daily from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. for the duration of the shutoff.

“As this weather system sweeps from north to south over a period of two to three days, PG&E customers across Northern and Central California will feel the effects of hot, dry winds at different times, which means outage times will vary,” said PG&E in a release issued late Saturday morning.

According to PG&E, widespread dry, hot and windy weather is expected to begin impacting the service area today (Saturday) between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and last through midday on Monday.